Unexpected Journey
by CSI-girl419
Summary: COMPLETE! See Isabelle Caine's life through the eyes of her father. The clock had struck twelve, midnight had come, and now she was gone. Marish CaRWash EDeN
1. Prologue: Miracles

**Unexpected Journey**

**A/N: Hello everyone! Well, it's finally here, the next chapter in the Isabelle Caine saga! Sorry it took so long to get written, but Horatio and Belle decided to take a three month hiatus and forgot to tell me, and I can't very well write without my stars, now can I? ;)**

**This story is a sequel of sorts to _The Importance of Being a Caine _and a prequel to _Vacation. _A majority of this story is flashbacks of Belle's life through Horatio's eyes. Some of these vignetteshave been told from Calleigh's point of view in _The Importance of Being a Caine_, but now you get to hear Horatio's version. Well, I guess that's all I have to say for now other than please review, because it makes me happy! Enjoy!**

Horatio Caine opened his eyes and for a moment he couldn't remember why this day felt different, special. The sun was just beginning to wash over the ocean, waking up the world; it was a beautiful day. 'A perfect day for her wedding,' he thought absently. In that instant the sleepy haze in his brain dissipated and he remembered. Izzy was getting married today. It was his baby girl's wedding day. He sighed; had the time really passed that quickly? It seemed like only yesterday that she was an unsteady toddler taking her first steps. He glanced at the clock, and granted himself a few moments to reminisce. He leaned back against the pillow and closed his eyes, drifting back to memories of a time 21 years earlier...

As long days went, this one had nearly done him in. The call had come in early that morning; five kindergarten-aged children had disappeared from a near-by elementary school. When Horatio had arrive on scene, he was met by the faces of distraught parents. As he passed each family on the way into the building, he promised them in his heart that he'd find their children. About an hour later a note arrive, along with a video from the killer. Horatio had stood in the AV lab and watched the five little boys and girls huddled together on a cement floor bound and gagged. He couldn't get the image of their pleading, frightened eyes out of his head. The note attached to the video was written in a orderly scrawl; it said "One by one they're going to fall, until there are none left. If you can find me, maybe you'll be able to save them. Good luck Lieutenant."

His team worked as quickly as they could, hoping against hope that they'd find these precious little ones before it was too late. Even with the pressure put on them under these circumstances, Horatio couldn't help but admire the precision and unity with which they went about their tasks. Sometimes it was almost as if they could read each other's thoughts. He was in the AV lab, going over the video again and again, hoping that he would see something that would tell him where they were, but after each viewing, he came up empty handed. He was so engrossed in his work that he didn't notice Eric come into the room.

"H," Eric said, standing just behind his boss, "We've had another contact with the kidnapper."

Horatio swivelled in his chair to face his brother-in-law. "What kind of contact?" he asked wearily, almost afraid of the answer.

"This," Eric said handing Horatio a Polaroid photo.

Lying in a pool of his own blood was a little boy, no more that five years old, his throat viciously slashed and his eyes still open in death, pure terror in their reflection. Horatio recognized him as Tyson Brenner, one of the children that had been abducted. In the white margin at the bottom of the photograph were the words "One down, four to go. You are running out of time CSI".

In an act of rage uncharacteristic of him, Horatio slammed his fist into the desk top. Eric jumped, a bit startled, but understood his friend's anger. "We have to get him Eric, we have to!" Horatio said, speaking mostly to himself.

Throughout the day two more pictures came into the crime lab, both featuring the bodies of two of the little girls that had been abducted. Both girls had been killed in a similar manner as Tyson, and a similar message had been scrawled at the bottom of the picture. Each little face contorted in pain and fear brought Horatio's resolution to find the killer to a new height.

At 4:15 Calleigh had rushed into the room brandishing a collection of papers. "Horatio, we got the test results back from the original note as well as the trace results from the tire tracks by the school. The paper had traces of printing ink that hasn't been used in years as well as smudges of gold leaf. The results from the tire tracks revealed amounts of aged limestone and granite. We think he may have the children in an old printing factory. We don't know which one though, there are at least twenty five within 60 miles of here."

Horatio, who was still staring at the screen playing the video again, suddenly noticed something in the corner that hadn't been important before, a stack of boxes with yellowed labels on them. He zoomed in closer trying to get a name. "Mandel Publishing," he said, almost in a whisper, "Calleigh they're at the old Mandel publishing plant on Cherry and Dickson. Call back up, we're headed out." He heard Calleigh flip out her phone requesting squad cars to the plant, as he raced out the door towards the Hummer, Calleigh close on his heels.

As he drove at high speeds down the freeway towards the plant, he had only one thought on his mind, 'Please let me make it on time'. Calleigh, who was sitting in the passenger seat, watched her boss's tense face as they raced through the streets of Miami. Although they were all very much involved in trying to find these children and wanting them to come home alive, Horatio had made this a personal crusade of sorts. They all had their personal weaknesses on cases, and Horatio's was easily children. He was willing to put his life on the line if he could save even one innocent life.

They screeched to a halt at the fence surrounding the publishing plant and before the car had completely come to a stop Horatio was already out of the Hummer and headed over to the locked gate. Realizing it would take a great deal of time to pick this specific lock, he nimbly climbed over the fence, Calleigh, as always, close behind.

He entered the building, gun drawn, listening carefully. "Miami Dade PD!" he yelled. When no one answered he listened carefully, and, hearing a noise to his right, started down a long hallway. Just as he rounded the corner, a tall man exited a room twenty feet in front of him.

The suspect gave Horatio a twisted smile that chilled Horatio to the very bone. "Well, well, well, Lieutenant. It took you long enough to find me. I honestly expected better from you and your famed crime lab."

"Cut the crap," Horatio said, gun still pointed at the suspect, "Where are the children?"

"What does it matter, H? They aren't going to be around much longer, much like you," he said, suddenly pulling a handgun out from behind his back and firing. Horatio was too quick for him however, pulling off a shot of his own which hit the suspect directly between the eyes; he was dead before he ever hit the floor.

Horatio turned to glance at Calleigh who had been behind him the whole time. "You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine, the bullet didn't come anywhere close. It's a good thing he's a lousy aim and that you're such an excellent shot." she said, walking over to the dead man's body.

"You stay here with the body until everyone else gets here, I'm going to find the kids," he said opening the door that the suspect had come through right before the shooting.

The doorway led to a long hallway with doors every ten feet or so. Horatio tried them each in turn, but he had no success until he came to the last door. He pushed open the door slowly, gun still raised, and looked into the room. He blanched at what he saw. In one corner, tossed together like a bunch of rag dolls were the bodies of the three murdered children, blood gathered around them creating a ghastly reflecting pool. He heard a whimper coming from behind the boxes to his right and, stepping carefully he moved to look behind them. There, huddled together, tear streaked and fear-ridden, were the two remaining children. The little boy was hiding his face in the girl's shoulder, but the little girl faced him bravely, although the trembling in her lip gave her away.

"Hailey," he said, recognizing the little girl from her picture, "Max." The little boy lifted his head and looked into the lieutenant's eyes. "It's okay," he said bending down and holstering his gun, "My name is Horatio Caine. I'm here to help you."

"Are you a cop?" The little girl asked, her eyes drawn to the badge at his waist.

"I am and I'm here to get you guys out of here." He said softly in the voice he reserved for little kids. Just then Calleigh entered the room.

"You found them," she said, bending down next to him.

"This is my friend Calleigh," Horatio explained to the two children, "She's going to take you to your mommies and daddies." He saw a slow nod from Max and he untangled himself from Hailey's grasp. He walked over to Calleigh and she took his hand and led him out of the room. Horatio looked back at Hailey, who had yet to move. "Come on sweetheart," he said, offering her his hand, "We've got to go."

"I can't leave," the little girl said, tightening her arms around her legs.

"Why can't you leave?" Horatio asked, trying to understand her logic.

"I promised my mommy I'd take care of my sister," she said pointing over to the corner where the three bodies lay, "I can't leave without her." Her eyes filled with tears and she began to sob.

Horatio's heart ached for this little girl. He opened his arms, pulling the child into a tight embrace. She latched onto him, holding him as tightly as she could and sobbed into his shoulder. He just held onto her and let her cry for several moments. He eventually stood up with her still in his arms and walked out to the waiting Hummer. He took off his suit coat and wrapped it around her shoulders as he set her in the Hummer.

"Sit here for just a moment, I'll be right back," he said, touching her arm.

He walked over to where Calleigh was standing by an ambulance, watching Max who was being checked out by the paramedics. "How's the little girl?" she asked after a moment.

"Physically she's fine, but emotionally..." he trailed off, looking in front of him, but not really seeing anything, "She saw her sister being murdered. I"m not sure she's ever going to get over that."

"What kind of a world do we live in, Horatio, when these things happen everyday and there's nothing we can do to stop them?" she asked, rubbing her arms.

"I don't know Calleigh," he said softly, "I don't know."

After the little girl was checked out by on-scene doctors and given a clean bill of health, Horatio was able to release her to her parents. Their reunion was bittersweet however as it lacked a second daughter.

As he pulled into his driveway later that night, the face of Hailey's mother continued to haunt him. She had lost so much, how was that family going to recover from this?

The lights in the living room were on, something fairly routine now that he and Marisol had been married for nearly two months. Sometimes when he came home he could hear music playing in the house somewhere, and if it had a rhumba rhythm, he could pretty much guarantee that Marisol was inside dancing her heart out. All he wanted tonight was to be able to relax and let Marisol help him unwind from the stressful day. He hardly believed he had gone so many years without her. He stepped into the house and immediately he felt a little of the strain melt away, as if the mere idea of her presence could heal him. He took off his gun and badge at the door, as was his custom, and was just hanging his suit coat in the closet when Marisol entered the room.

"Hey sweetheart," she said, coming over to give him a light kiss, "Dinner's almost ready." It was then she noticed the look of absolute exhaustion on his face. "Horatio," she questioned, still holding onto him, "What happened?"

He sighed, "It's nothing, just a long day at work; tough case. We can talk about it after dinner."

"No," she said firmly, knowing he would just lock it further inside, not wanting to trouble her, "Dinner can wait." She took him by the hand and led him over to the couch where they both sat.

He told her everything about the case, the original call, the video, the successive notes, and finally the rescue of the two remaining children. "Everyone's calling this a miracle," he said, holding her tightly, letting her healing work on him, "but I don't see how it can be. I mean, three of those five children died and there was nothing I could do about it. Three families are burying their children. How is that miraculous?"

"Oh, Horatio," she said softly, after hearing his sad story, "It is a miracle because you were able to save two of those children. Tonight, a family isn't mourning the loss of two children. It's a miracle you found them on time, before it was too late."

"I don't know if I believe in miracles anymore Mari," he said, taking her hand in his, "In my line of work it isn't often that you see the good in life, only the bad. How can a world that is so full of evil continue to have hope in things like miracles?"

She thought about this for a moment before trying to console her troubled husband. "I believe in miracles, Horatio," she said turning to look him in the eye, "I have to. I believe that it's a miracle that I'm still alive today even though I have cancer. I believe that it's a miracle that I was able to find the love of my life and that he loved me back, despite all my hardships."

"It's easy to love you, Marisol," he kissing her on the forehead, "But you are right, it's a miracle that you love me."

She laughed and playfully slapped him on the shoulder, "Don't you be too hard on yourself. You are my hero and nothing is going to change that."

He simply nodded, taking in this moment that reminded him how precious life really is. "I guess I see your point, Mari," he said, intertwining his fingers with hers, "You have to look at the world and expect the good will triumph. Even though bad things happen, I guess there is evidence of miracles all around us everyday."

Marisol smiled a secret smile, but let the thought drift for a moment, allowing the mood to settle before sharing her news. "Horatio," she said softly, "I have more proof that miracles do exist."

"Oh really?" he asked, smiling down at her, "And what kind of proof is that?"

She smiled up at him, hardly believing what she was about to say. "You know how we talked about having a family someday?" she asked.

"Yes, I remember," he said.

"Well, that someday is a lot closer than we ever imagined." she took his hand in hers and gently led it to her stomach, and then said with a glisten of tears in her eyes, "Horatio, we're going to have a baby."

He looked at her for a long moment, his ears hardly believing what he had just heard. A slow smile crept up his face and his eyes shone with excitement. "Mari, are you sure?"

"Absolutely," she said with a grin.

"Mari this is wonderful!" he said, laughing and crying all at once. He picked her up and twirled her in a quick circle before kissing her.

He sat her back down on the couch and held her close. "Are you happy about this?" she asked him, knowing she would get an honest answer.

"Happy," he said, "Marisol this is the best news in the world! When did you find out?"

"I had a doctors appointment this morning to confirm it. He thinks the baby will be born in early April," she said, unable to wipe the grin off her face.

"April," he mused, thinking about all that the future held, "But I thought the doctors said you couldn't have any children."

"That's what makes this baby a miracle," she said tears shining in her eyes.

"Our miracle," he whispered.


	2. Introducing Isabelle Caine

**A/N: So there haven't been any reviews guys, I'm a bit disappointed. If you don't have any interest in this story, I can stop writing it, because it does just as much good in black and white as it does in my head if no one will read it. That said, I'd really like to share more of the story with you, but ultimately it's up to you.**

**This chapter is a bit on the long side, but from now on the chapters will tend to be shorter, except for maybe her wedding and eventually her reception. I promise the wedding will get in here, but these little stories/flashbacks come first. I hope you enjoy it!**

_Eight and a half months later..._

"Horatio, sweetheart... I love you. I really, really do. But you are driving me absolutely insane! You need to go to work today, for my sake at least." Marisol Caine pleaded with her husband.

"But honey, the baby is due any day now, what if you start having contractions and I'm not here?" Horatio asked, taking his wife's hands in his.

She laughed, "I'll be fine. I doubt your daughter will decided she needs to enter the world that quickly. If anything happens, IF being the key word there, I can call you and you'll be home in five minutes."

"Actually I can make it in three and a half," Horatio mumbled. When Marisol gave him a look he shrugged and said sheepishly, "Eric and I timed it the other day. If we have the lights and sirens on and we hit all green lights, we can make it from CSI to here in three and a half minutes."

"Horatio, you continue to amaze me," she said incredulously, shaking her head.

"I try," he replied with a smirk, which earned him a playful slap on the arm.

"As I was saying," she continued, rolling her eyes at her husband, "You can be here very quickly. You aren't going to miss anything, I promise. Now please, just go to work."

"Why do you want me to go away so badly?" he asked turning his head to study his wife the same way he studied a suspect.

"Because I'm tired of you watching me like I'm a bomb that's about to go off," she said, loving frustration in her voice, "and don't you dare look at me like I'm a suspect again or you'll be sleeping at Eric's."

He laughed, "I don't think that Natalia would like that very much, what with the new baby and all." He smiled as he thought of his two month old niece Melissa.

She nodded in agreement. She turned on the charm for one last try. "Please Horatio, do this for me? Please go to work and help the good people of Miami," she pleaded, turning her liquid chocolate eyes up at him, doing her best impression of a puppy dog pout. She could barely hold back a grin as she watched his eyes soften. Sometimes he was all too easy to manipulate.

"Alright," he sighed, finally admitting defeat. He couldn't say no to Marisol when she looked at him that way, a trait that would later be a great benefit for their daughter. He pulled her close to him, well as close as her swollen belly would allow, and put a hand gently on the side of her face. "But promise me you'll call the moment anything happens. I don't want to miss any of it."

"I promise," she said, leaning in to kiss him, "But you'll have to relinquish your car keys to Calleigh the moment you get to CSI. I've already talked to her about it."

"What?" he asked, totally confused.

"Calleigh's going to hold on to your car keys for the day so that you can't come home every five minutes to check on me. And don't you try to get around it," she said, playfully shaking a finger at him, "I'm expecting a phone call from Calleigh after she gets the keys and if I don't get it, I'm not going to be a very happy camper."

"Mari, please, I promise I'll be good, but let me keep my keys," he pleaded, trying the same puppy pout trick she had used on him.

"Nice try, buddy," she laughed, "That one won't work on me. I'm serious now. Please, do this for me. You need to concentrate today."

"Oh alright, but I'm only doing this because I love you so much," he said, leaning in for another kiss.

"I can't think of a better reason," she said smiling, "Now you'd better get going or you're going to be late."

"Okay," he finally agreed, "I love you and I'll call you later to check on you." He gave her a kiss, before kissing her stomach. "Bye Angel," he said, using his pet name for his soon-to-be-born daughter. "Bye Sweetheart," he said kissing Marisol one more time before turning and heading out the door.

She smiled and waved as he drove away, and then turning to the kitchen laughed to herself, "I give it one hour."

* * *

Horatio arrived at CSI and walked into the main lab, his mind still at home with Marisol. He wanted to be there with her so badly, but he knew she was right, he wasn't going to do her much good just sitting there, staring all day. He was about to turn the corner to go into his office when he saw her. There, standing between him and his office, hand out, sporting a look that clearly said "It's about time", was Calleigh.

"Morning Cal," he said trying to butter her up before she made him go along with Marisol's plan.

"Keys Horatio." she said. It wasn't a question or a suggestion, it was a command. She flexed the fingers of her outstretched hand enforcing the statement.

"Cal, please, she's my wife and I have every right to be there for her." he tried pleading, "Come on, I've let you get away with so much over the years. Please be kind and let our friendship trump the friendship you have with my wife."

"No can do Horatio," she said, eyes sparkling with a mischievous smile, "Girls always look out for each other so this time Marisol trumps you. I'm only going to ask one more time. Keys Horatio. Don't make me take you down."

"Alright, alright," he grimaced handing over the keys, which Calleigh immediately snagged from him and tucked into her pant's pocket, "But promise me, if she calls, you'll give them back."

"Of course, Horatio," Calleigh said with a smile, "I wouldn't want you to miss the birth of your first child. Not that she's going to have the baby today." she quickly added when she saw the anxious look on his face.

He nodded. "Have we got any cases yet?" he asked, turning to shop talk to get his mind focused for the day.

"Not yet, it seems that we're going to have a pretty relaxed day. Eric and Ryan got called out on a burglary earlier, but other than that it's been pretty slow," she said, giving her ritual morning status report.

"Okay, let me know if something comes up," he said, turning to go into his office, "I think I'll come help you work on the Waldorf evidence and see if we can strengthen the case against him." He was referring to a week old case involving a shootout at a bar. The police had caught the suspect red-handed, they just wanted to get all their ducks in a row before court.

"I'll meet you in the layout room, right after I call your wife and tell her what a good boy you've been," she said with a smirk, teasing him.

He just rolled his eyes and mumbled something that sounded like "Women."

Calleigh walked down the hall and stopped in the layout room, dialing a familiar number as she walked. Over the past several months since Horatio had married Marisol, the two women had become the best of friends. They had little outings, just the two of them, where they could talk and laugh about men and life in general. Calleigh had also been the one who had organized the fabulous baby shower for Marisol a few months back. Sometimes they called each other just to talk or, as in this case, to ask for a favor. The phone rang several times before a familiar voice answered.

Marisol had just barely settled into the couch for a relaxing morning reading a new book when the phone rang. She groaned inwardly. She could see the phone, it was just on the other side of the room, sitting innocently on the end table. For all it mattered to her though, it was on the other side of the world. She sighed and struggled to her feet, quite the task as she felt as though she had doubled in size. Finally after a few moments she was on her feet and shuffling in the direction of the ringing object. "Hello," she said almost breathlessly; the effort of getting up off the couch more trouble than it was worth.

"Hey Marisol," Calleigh said, her sunshine warm voice filling the room, "Are you alright? You sound a little out of breath."

"I'm fine," Marisol smiled, touched that her friend would worry about her, "I just had to extract myself from the couch, not an easy task, let me tell you."

"I see," Calleigh said with a laugh, "I was just calling to tell you that I got your husband's keys. He's "grounded" for the day."

"Thanks," she said smiling, sitting back down on the couch, "Did he give them up without a fight?"

"Well, not much of one anyway," Calleigh said, leaning up against the counter of the layout room, "I just had to threaten to take him down and that helped out the negotiations rather nicely."

"Calleigh, sometimes I wonder about you!" Marisol laughed, "Thanks again though. Now I can rest in peace knowing he won't be speeding over here every few minutes."

"No problem," Calleigh said, shrugging the whole thing off, "Hey, listen, I'd love to chat, but Horatio and I have some evidence to look over. You take it easy, no funny stuff. And tell that little niece of mine to be good!"

"I will," Marisol said, "Thanks again Calleigh, you're a doll! Talk to you soon!"

"Bye," Calleigh said, flipping her phone shut again and turning to put on a lab coat. Another day at CSI had just begun.

* * *

Horatio and Calleigh were in the ballistics lab a few hours later, running various test on bullets from the Waldorf case. Calleigh had never seen Horatio so distracted before. He had mislabeled three evidence containers so far and Calleigh feared letting him handle a gun, wondering if he'd be focused enough to aim. The P.A. system had clicked on twice since they had begun and each time Horatio had quickly flipped his phone out and nearly had it to his ear before he realized what was going on. Calleigh had to stifle a giggle each time; the poor man!

They were discussing a particular entry angle of a bullet, trying to decide if the trajectory matched the witness statement, when Calleigh's cell phone rang. Horatio's hand darted for his phone which was lying on the table top next to them.

"Relax, handsome," Calleigh said with a laugh, "It's mine."

"Oh," he said sheepishly, closing the phone again and looking at it, as if willing it to ring. He had called Marisol once earlier in the day and she had been fine then, but that didn't ease his worries any. He listened to Calleigh's conversation, suspecting it was work related. Judging by the grin plastered on her face and the warmth of her voice, the person on the other end of the line was none other than Ryan Wolfe. He chuckled to himself; those two were made for each other, but they didn't see it yet. He would definitely have to do something about that, but now was neither the time nor the place.

"Alright, thanks for the tip," Calleigh said, leaning against the door to the firing range, "See you soon, babe. Bye." She flipped her phone shut and then turned to look at Horatio.

"Babe?" he asked, unable to keep himself from teasing her.

She blushed, something very rare for her, and said simply, "Old habits die hard." Turning back to the work at hand, she couldn't resist teasing him too. "You know, Horatio, you really ought to do something about that nervous twitch you get whenever a phone rings."

He shrugged. "I'm just worried about her, that's all," he admitted, "She's my whole life Cal, and I would never be able to forgive myself if something happened to her. I can't live without her."

She put a hand on his arm and with a soft smile said, "She'll be alright Horatio. As long as she has you."

He was just about to thank her for her concern when a ringing phone interrupted. His eyes went wide when he realized that not only was it his phone, but that it was Marisol's ring tone. With lightening fast reflexes he reached for the phone and answered.

"Sweetheart, are you okay? Is it the baby? Do I need to come home?" he fired off in quick succession.

"Horatio, relax, I'm fine," Marisol replied, smiling at his reaction, "I was just wondering if you had any plans for the rest of the day?"

His heartbeat slowed momentarily, "I have to work until 4, but then I should be home. Why do you ask?"

"Well, since you're not doing anything, would you mind coming home right now and taking me to the hospital? I think you're daughter's ready to meet you," she said with a smile.

Horatio's heartbeat quickened and he went into panic mode, "I'll be right there," he said, shrugging of his lab coat and heading for the door. Calleigh had gathered from Horatio's pale face and the speed with which he was moving that the newest Caine was about to be born. Remembering that she had his keys, she followed after him.

"Horatio!" she called as he practically ran down the hallway, "You forgot your keys!" She chased after him, and finally caught him in the elevator. She placed the keys in his hands. "I take it you're going to be a dad in a few hours," she said with a grin.

"Yes I am," he said smiling, almost pacing the elevator waiting for it to descend to the right floor.

"Good luck and call us once you get to hold your baby girl," Calleigh said touching his arm.

"I will," he said, just as the elevator pinged, informing them they had reached the right floor. "Thanks Calleigh!" he called over his shoulder as he half jogged to the waiting Hummer.

Meanwhile Marisol was home, having just hung up with her now panicked husband. It made her laugh to think that he could be so calm in disasters and yet so nervous at the prospect of becoming a father. A few moment later she heard the screech of tires and the Hummer flew into the driveway. The front door burst open a second later.

"You're late," was Marisol's first comment to her frazzled husband.

"What?" he asked, thrown by this random comment.

"You promised me you could be here in three and a half minutes," she said, "It's been four."

He grinned realizing she was teasing him, "Yeah, yeah," he said, coming over to her side, "I hit a few red lights and had to slow down. How are you?"

"I've been better," she grimaced as a wave a pain hit her, "But it'll be worth it. The pains are still a few minutes apart, but I don't want to take any chances."

"Agreed," he said moving to pick her up.

"I can walk, Horatio," she protested, "I'm not that broken."

He sighed in frustration, but allowed her to exit the house on her own power. Once safely in the car, Horatio backed out of the driveway and sped off down the street, lights still flashing, but sirens mercifully silent, for now anyway.

"Horatio, slow down!"Mariosl said after a particularly sharp turn, "The baby's not in that big of a hurry and I'd prefer to arrive alive."

"You don't trust me?" he said, shooting her a teasing look.

She smiled until another pain coursed through her abdomen, causing Horatio to speed up a little.

They arrived at the hospital ten minutes later. Horatio jumped out and met the nurse that was waiting for them; Marisol had had the sense to call ahead and let the doctor know they were coming. He helped her into a wheelchair and then wheeled her inside. At the front desk he was confronted by a pile of paperwork while his wife was taken into a room.

'You've got to be kidding me!' he thought to himself, 'More paperwork? Don't I get enough of that at work? My wife's having a baby for crying out loud!'

He filled out the forms as quickly as he could, wanting to be by Marisol's side. In his hurry he forgot a few things and it took him twice as long to remember everything under the stress. Thankfully eventually all the right forms were filled out and he was able to join Marisol in her hospital room.

He opened the door slowly and smiled when he saw her in the hospital bed. Even in a hospital gown, with her hair all disheveled, she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. She was hooked up to all sorts of monitors and they had attached an IV to her hand. She smiled when she caught his eye. He moved over to the bedside and took her hand in his, kissing her softly on the forehead.

"Hey," he said softly, sitting down beside her, "I pitty whomever has to read those forms I filled out. When I was done with them, they sure looked a mess!"

She laughed, "You poor dear. Next time we have a baby, I'll remember to bring the forms all filled out."

The doctor came in just then and greeted Horatio with a handshake. "Hello Mr. Caine, Mrs. Caine. Well, it looks like you are on track to have a baby this afternoon. If you continue to progress at this rate, I think you'll be able to hold her in about six hours."

"Thank you doctor," Marisol said, holding a hand to her stomach, "Is she alright?"

"From all the preliminary work we've done so far, she absolutely perfect. She's doing really well and it looks like she'll be born perfectly healthy," the doctor said, "I'll come check on you in a few hours Mrs. Caine."

After the doctor left, Marisol turned to Horatio. "Can you believe this is really happening?" she said with a smile reflecting sunlight, "In a few hours we're going to be parents! I've been waiting for this day my whole life."

"I know the feeling," he said, holding her hand through a contraction before continuing, " I couldn't be more excited, and I just want you to know there's no one else I'd rather go through this with than you." He leaned over and kissed her forehead, knowing the next few hours could be the longest of their lives.

Several hours later, Horatio was wondering what he'd got himself into. Marisol had look of agony on her face and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. He rubbed her back in small circles and held her hand. "It's okay Mari," he said, watching the monitor, "A few more seconds and this contraction will be over."

"I don't know how much longer I can make it Horatio," she whimpered, laying back on the bed, "It hurts so much."

"I know, sweetheart," he said, pressing a kiss to her hand, "Just hang on a little longer."

The doctor came in just then to check her progress. "Well Mr. and Mrs. Caine, it looks like the baby is finally ready. Let's get you prepped for delivery."

While the doctor was getting Marisol situated, Horatio was handed a pair of scrubs to change into so he could be in the room for the birth.

"Is this your first?" the nursed asked watching the worried man.

"Yes, is it that obvious?," he asked, slipping on the blue scrub cap over his red hair.

"Just a little," she said with a chuckle, "Don't worry, she'll be fine."

He re-entered the room, and took hold of Marisol's hand. "Are you ready to do this?" he asked looking into her eyes.

She simply nodded before another wave of pain caused her to cry out and squeeze his hand tightly. This went on for several more minutes. Horatio felt as though his hand was cracking to pieces under her grasp, but he knew it was her lifeline so he let her hold on. Every time she cried out in pain, he felt like his heart was being ripped out of his chest.

"I can't do this, Horatio, I can't," she gasped, tears of pain inching down her face.

"Only a little longer, Mari," he soothed, "I know you can do this. I'm right here with you. I promised you that didn't I?"

She simply nodded and gave it all she had. A few seconds later Horatio heard the most beautiful sound he had ever been witness to, a baby's cry. His baby's cry.

"Congratulations mom and dad," the doctor said with a grin, "It's a girl."

Marisol leaned back against the pillow with relief. "Our baby girl," she said weakly smiling up at him.

"She is," he said kissing her softly, "I'm so proud of you."

The doctor held up the baby so they both could see her. Her little red face was squished up in a cry of protest, but to Horatio, she was an angel. A nurse whisked her away to clean her up while the doctor finished up with Marisol. With Marisol's permission he followed the nurse and watched his daughter in awe as the nurse took care of her. After the nurse did a few tests on the baby and pronounced her healthy, she cleaned the little girl up and wrapped her in a soft pink blanket.

"Here you are Dad," the nurse said, placing the bundle in his arms.

In that moment all sense of time ceased to exist and all that remained was the little girl in his arms. She was so tiny, six pounds six ounces the doctor said. He did the automatic new parent check, ten tiny toes and ten perfect fingers. She had a head of thick dark hair and birth-blue eyes; from what he could tell, she was going to be a beauty one day. Once in her father's arms she quieted right down to a small whimper.

"She's a daddy's girl, alright," the nurse said smiling at the new father.

He grinned. "Hello there, Angel," he said softly, marveling that this tiny person was his and Mari's daughter, "We've been waiting a long time to get to meet you."

He walked over to Marisol's bedside cooing to his daughter as he walked slowly. "This is your mommy," he said quietly, his voice becoming husky with the tears he was fighting back. He handed the baby carefully to Marisol and then sat on the edge of the bed, one arm around his wife, and the other touching the baby.

"Hello little one," Marisol said, tears running down her face as she touched the baby's cheek ever so softly. As Horatio watched his two girls tears filled his eyes and he couldn't keep them inside any longer. Marisol looked up at him and smiled softly; she had never seen him cry before. She reached up and wiped away a tear with her fingers. He held onto her hand as they both turned back to the infant in her arms.

"I can't believe it," he said, his voice choked by the happy tears crawling down his face, "She's our daughter Mari. _Our_ daughter. She's so beautiful."

"She is, isn't she?" Marisol said, her own voice muffled by the tears of joy.

"She needs a name," Horatio prompted after a few minutes of silence.

"I've always liked Isabelle," Marisol suggested, turning to look up at her husband.

"Isabelle Marisol Caine," Horatio said, testing the name, "It suits her."

They held her and talked quietly for a long while, both basking in the joy that was their child, until a nurse came and took her to the nursery so Marisol could rest.

"You can fall asleep, I'll be right here," Horatio told her, touching the side of her face.

"Hold me Horatio?" she asked sleepily.

He smiled and laid down on the bed next to her, holding her closely. "I love you Marisol," he whispered just before his wife succumbed to her exhaustion.

Once he was sure she was asleep, he climbed out of the bed carefully and walked outside the room. Once in the hall he called his in-laws and Eric to let them know of the birth. They were all very excited and promised to visit in a few hours, allowing Mari some much deserved rest. He then dialed Calleigh's phone number and had to smile when she snatched it up on the first ring.

"Do I have a niece yet?" she asked, her voice bubbling over the phone.

"Yes, you do," he laughed, still unable to believe she was actually here, "Six pounds, six ounces, born at 4:26 this afternoon. She's beautiful Cal."

"Oh, Horatio, I'm so happy for you and Marisol!" Calleigh said, sincerity in ever tone, "How is Marisol doing?"

"She's pretty worn out, she's sleeping right now," he answered, looking through the window into the room where she slept.

"I can imagine," she said, "So you didn't mention my niece's name..."

"Her name is Isabelle Marisol," Horatio answered proudly.

"Isabelle.." Calleigh mused, "I like it. I can't wait to see her, but I think I'll give you guys a few hours or maybe even a day before I come. Tell Mari congratulations for me though! You guys deserve the best and I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you Calleigh," Horatio said before saying goodbye and hanging up. He knew Marisol would sleep for a few more hours so he wandered down to the nursery to be near his daughter. He stood there for a long time, leaning against the glass and marveling at this miracle. There were several other babies in the room, but not one of them even came close to his little girl. After a while the nurse came out and said, "We can take her back to your wife's room if you want to hold her."

"I'd like that very much," he answered, his eyes lighting up.

A few minutes later he was sitting in the rocking chair in Marisol's room holding his daughter. He couldn't take his eyes off her. He put his finger up by her little hand and she grabbed hold of it. His heart did a little flip in his chest. He knew at that moment that he would do anything for her, no matter the personal cost to him. From now on Marisol and Isabelle were his world.

"You know, Izzy," he said, smiling down at his daughter, "I never thought I'd ever be a dad to anyone, and I'm not sure I can even do it. I need you to be patient with me. I love you so much and your mother does too. You are our angel and our princess and nothing you can ever do will change that." Isabelle opened one eye and looked up at her father as if she understood him. She closed her eye again and made a little cooing sound and snuggled deeper into his chest. Horatio's heart stopped. How in the world could he love someone so much after knowing them such a short time?

He looked up at Marisol who was still sleeping peacefully and then looked back down at his daughter. "You mean everything to me Angel, and I will always be there for you, I promise." He leaned down and kissed her tiny forehead, breathing in her soft baby scent. "You'll always be my baby girl," he whispered, as he looked into her eyes and saw his future.

**A/N: So what do you think? Please review, it'll only take a few seconds! Next chapter: Saying Goodbye.**


	3. Saying Goodbye

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI or any of it's characters. **

**A/N: Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews! I'll quit whining about it now that I know at least a few people are reading it! ;) **

**This chapter involves a character death (bet you can't guess which one ;) ) You have been warned. Also you may want to have some tissues around just in case. This is a very sad chapter, but I promise it's the only one like it in the story. I hope you enjoy!**

Horatio knew where his memories would lead next and he wasn't sure he wanted to follow. It had been a long time since he had let himself think about what had transpired that day in June that left him alone to raise a daughter. He turned to look at a picture of Marisol he kept on his bedside table. Her beaming face smiled back at him and for a moment he could almost picture her there with him. He could now see her face and remember the good times, the laughing and playing, the moments that had made life with Marisol meaningful.

"Today's the day, Mari," he said, speaking out loud to her as he sometimes did, "Izzy's getting married. Our baby girl's all grown up. I wish you had been here to see it." He sighed as memories of the day he lost her filled his mind. He succumbed to them wearily, knowing that he could not forget the woman that he loved, especially on the day of their daughter's wedding. His mind drifted back to the night that changed his life forever...

* * *

_FLASHBACK_

Horatio pulled into the driveway, weary and buried in his thoughts. The living room lights were on, even at this late hour, but they gave no warmth; she wasn't inside waiting for him. He stepped out of the Hummer and trudged up the walkway, the burden on his heart making his feet heavy. He opened the front door and saw Calleigh sitting on the couch. A magazine was open in front of her, but it was clear her eyes weren't focused on the paper. She looked up at him and it nearly broke her heart.

To her, Horatio had always been the unshakeable, invincible man; protector of the world. Tonight, however, his shoulders were slumped and the lines on his face revealed an age far beyond Horatio's own. His eyes were deeply shadowed, and although no tears had yet to fall, it was evident that he was doing his best to hold them back. His face showed almost no emotion, except for the slight curving down of the corners of his mouth. The heartbreak and heartache he had experienced during the last few hours had changed his whole countenance from optimism to hopelessness. Horatio Caine was a broken man.

He didn't say anything as she stood to meet him. Her red-rimmed eyes and tear stained cheeks spoke volumes about what she too had been going through. He wanted to say something, anything to end the gloomy silence, but he didn't trust his voice. She seemed to feel the same way.

She walked over and put her hand on his arm. "Belle's asleep in her room," she said quietly.

He simply nodded, trying to keep the lump in his throat from overwhelming him.

Calleigh saw this and pulled him into a tight hug, holding on to the ghost of the Horatio she used to know. She felt him weaken and lean into her. They both held each other tightly for a long time without speaking.

"Hang in there Horatio," Calleigh whispered, echoing the sentiment Horatio had given her shortly after Speedle died.

She eventually broke the embrace, and stepped back, still holding onto his arms. "If there is anything at all I can do for you, let me know, alright?" she said, looking into his dead eyes.

"Thank you Calleigh," he said, the emotion in his voice threatening to take over.

She squeeze his arm one more time and gave him a small sympathetic smile before taking her jacket and walking out the door.

After Calleigh left, Horatio stood in the living room and looked around him. There were reminders of her everywhere; he favorite book was sitting on an end table, her place marked with a dog-eared bookmark; her running shoes were next to the door, the laces still done up; in the kitchen was the vase of flowers he had given her two days ago just because he wanted her to know how much he loved her.

He shrugged off his suit jacket and hung it up in the closet, next to her white windbreaker. He walked down the hall to the one place he knew he could find a little solace, the nursery. He opened the door slowly to avoid it creaking and entered the pink sanctuary. There was a soft glow coming from the star shaped night-light and a little moonlight was spilling through the lacy curtains, creating patterns on the floor. He stepped over to the white crib and peered down at the little sleeping princess.

She looked so serene, he was almost jealous of the fact that she would never feel the pain he was feeling right now. He reached down to touch her downy soft hair, but paused halfway there, afraid that touching her would somehow cement the fact that Marisol was never coming home.

At this thought a wave of grief, to the point of physical pain, engulfed him. Marisol was dead. The love of his life had left him for good. He had know this fact for several hours now, but it was as if it was sinking in for the very first time. His eyes filled with tears as the pain in his heart became too much to bear. He touched the side of his daughter's face as she slept, and, for the first time since his wife died, he cried. He sobbed quietly for a long time, praying that he wouldn't wake up Izzy, but needing this release. One single tear fell onto his daughter's tiny cheek and she woke. She looked up at her father and Horatio's heart broke once more as Marisol's eyes stared up at him. Izzy turned her head to one side and wrinkled her eyebrows in a very adult expression of concern for her father. Her eyes showed pure love and Horatio knew that Izzy was trying to comfort him the best that she could.

He reached into the crib and picked her up, needing to be close to the last remaining physical piece of Marisol he had left. Moving over to the rocking chair he sat down and cradled her in his arms, rocking her gently back and forth. He allowed his thoughts to wander for the first time since he left Marisol's side. It was hard to believe that only 24 hours previous she had been in this very room, singing Izzy a lullaby. Even the though of trying to sing to her now hurt.

He wished he could go back to this morning and just hold Marisol tightly as she slept next to him, never letting her out of his sight. Maybe then he wouldn't be alone tonight. His only consolation about the whole ordeal was that the last normal moments they had had together had been good ones. She had fixed breakfast, and he had played with Izzy while she curled her hair and put on her makeup. When she came over to CSI to give him Izzy so that she could go to lunch with Eric, he remembered how beautiful he thought she was. He had kissed her and told her that he loved her, which she reciprocated and then had watched her walk away, thinking that he was the luckiest guy in the world.

An hour later he had gotten the call; she had been shot and was headed to the hospital. He got to the scene before the ambulance had taken her away and was able to ride in the ambulance with her. He could see the fear and pain in her eyes as he took her hand and promised her everything was going to be alright. He only wished that were true.

Once at the hospital, she had been wheeled through a set of double doors and he was forced to wait on the other side. He paced and prayed and pleaded to any higher power that she would make it through this. About an hour later a doctor came through the doors, and Horatio stood to meet him.

"How is she Doctor?" he asked, his eyes pleading for a good report.

The doctor couldn't meet his eyes and Horatio felt an icy cold sensation run through his veins. "Mr. Caine, your wife was shot in the stomach and there were massive internal injuries. We've done all that we can, but I'm afraid that it's simply not going to be enough," the doctor said.

It felt like someone had plunged a dagger into his heart. The world spun around him, but he forced his mind to focus. "How long do we have?" Horatio asked, his voice catching slightly.

"A few hours at most," the doctor said, pronouncing the death sentence with an even voice.

Horatio hung his head as his heart dropped. It was a moment before he found his voice again, "I need to be with her."

"Of course," the doctor said, motioning towards a side door, "Right through there."

He opened the door to the room and was met with the most frightening sight he'd ever witnessed. There, lying on the sterile white hospital sheets, was the woman he loved more than anything. Her face was very pale, a large bandage cris-crossed her midsection, and the steady beep and hiss of the medical equipment around her broke the silence. He stood with shaking hands at the door for several moments before stepping inside and sitting down next to the bed.

He reached out and took her left hand in his, rubbing the back of it ever so gently. He kissed it softly and then ducked his head, trying to keep his emotions under control.

"Horatio.." came the airy whisper as he looked up into the eyes of his wife.

He caught her gaze and just by looking into her eyes, he knew she didn't have much time left. She gave him a small smile, an echo of her normal one.

"Hey Beautiful," he whispered his voice cracking a little, "How are you feeling?"

"You're honestly going to make me answer that question?" she asked raising one eyebrow.

He chuckled and said, "Alright, bad question."

They talked quietly for a moment before Marisol took a deep breath and said, "Horatio..when I'm gone will you make sure that Izzy knows how much I love her?" There were tears in her eyes as she finished and he knew this was the hardest conversation he would ever have.

"You're not going to die, Mari," he said softly, kissing her hand, "You'll always be right here with me and Izzy."

"I wish that were true," she said weakly, "But we both know that it's not. In a few hours, I'll be dead and I need to know that you two will be alright."

"I can't promise you that," he said, emotions catching up with him, "You're my life and I'm not sure I'm going to be able to go on without you."

"You need to Horatio, for Izzy's sake at least," Marisol said, touching the side of her husband's face, "You're the only one she'll have left and she needs you."

"I need you," he said, pleading with his eyes.

"I know, and I need you too," she said, still gazing at him, "Death isn't going to separate us forever Horatio. I'll always be nearby, watching over you and Izzy."

He could tell that her strength was quickly leaving her and when he looked into face, he knew her time was at hand.

"I love you Marisol," he whispered, pulling her close and kissing her.

"I love you too, Horatio..." she sighed as the last breath left her battered body.

Horatio held onto her for a long time, but he didn't cry. She was gone. He kissed her already cooling lips and softly whispered, "Goodbye Sweetheart" before turning and leaving the room.

Now as he sat rocking his tiny daughter, he was overwhelmed by the grief and pain he was feeling. In Izzy's every feature he saw Mari, and he realized that this was the greatest blessing that he had ever been given. Even though Marisol was no longer alive, she would live on through this tiny little girl. Horatio knew the weeks and months and even years ahead would be some of the toughest he would ever face, but he also knew that there was hope for a new beginning.

He dried his face with his shirt sleeve and stood up, carefully so as not to wake the little angel. He placed her gently back into the crib and tucked a blanket around her. "I love you, Izzy," he whispered, kissing his daughter's forehead and brushing back a tiny curl from her forehead. He then turned and headed across the hall to his bedroom, where for the first time in over a year, he would sleep alone. He curled up on the bed and pulled Marisol's pillow over to him; he could still smell her strawberry shampoo, a scent so uniquely Mari's. That night, for the first time in his life, but certainly not the last, Horatio cried himself to sleep.

In the next room over, an angelic presence softly touched a hand to her daughter's ebony curls. "Goodnight my little one," she said pressing a feather light kiss to the baby's forehead. Isabelle Marisol Caine slept on.

**TBC**


	4. Izzy Days

**Disclaimer: I don't own CSI, nor do I own the song "Butterfly Kisses".**

**A/N: Sorry for the long delay! I was having huge issues with this chapter. I must admit, I'm not terribly fond of it, but it's part of the story so it needs to be here. Sorry if it seems a bit disjointed, but that's probably because it is! The next chapter will be better, I promise! Review if you feel like it! Enjoy!**

_For butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer;_

_Sticking little white flowers all up in her hair;_

"_Walk beside the pony, Daddy, it's my first ride"_

BEEP-BEEP-BEEP

Horatio rolled over and turned off his alarm. On any normal day he would have jumped right out of bed and started the day, but today was his first day off in 12 days and that changed the rules. After lying in bed for a few more moments, he sat up and rubbed his face with his hands. Lately sleep had been a commodity that he participated in very infrequently, and he had enjoyed the extra few hours allotted him today.

He was looking forward to today because today was an Izzy Day; whenever he worked for a long series of days with no time off, the next free day was a day that he spent completely with his daughter, doing whatever she wanted to do. He loved spending time with his little four year old and being a dad suited him just fine.

The past four years had been rough, but very rewarding. There had been days when he could barely function because he missed Marisol so badly, but there had also been days when he was so happy to just be with his daughter. He had managed to make it through two AM feedings, teething, the late nights when she wouldn't quite crying, afternoons he took off work to take care of a sick daughter, and mornings when he found her lying in bed next to him because she had had a nightmare. There had been amazing times too; when she took her first steps, her first words, random hugs and "I love you" throughout the day, and a grin on her face as he tried his best to make her laugh.

He smiled as he walked toward the bathroom for a shower before Izzy woke up. About a half hour later he padded softly down the stairs so as not to wake the princess and went outside to gather the newspaper. He had just shut the door again and was randomly flipping through the paper, when he heard soft footfalls on the stairs and looked up to see his daughter coming towards him.

Izzy was dressed in an old T-shirt of his that came down past her knees and was dragging her teddy bear by the foot behind her. Her little fist sleepily rubbed her eyes as she came down the stairs.

"Hey, Angel," Horatio said putting the paper down, "How are you this morning?"

"Okay," she said, and then as if something had dawned on her, asked, "Aren't you going to work today Daddy?"

"Well," he said, crouching down so she was at eye level, "I thought we should have an Izzy Day instead. What do you think?"

"Oh Daddy! Really?" she asked coming awake instantly.

He laughed at her enthusiasm. Before he could even speak she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. He picked her up and spun her around quickly, making her giggle.

"So, what does the princess want for breakfast?" he asked her.

"Waffles with strawberries!" she said excitedly.

"Alright, I think we can do something about that," he said, putting her back down and walking into the kitchen with her close on his heels.

After breakfast, Horatio marched Izzy upstairs and helped her brush her teeth and get dressed.

"Daddy, can you please braid my hair today?" Izzy asked.

Four years ago, Horatio wouldn't have had a clue about how to even begin, but with some gentle tutoring from Alexx, along with some things that he had worked out on his own, he was now a proficient hair braider. He did a quick French braid down the back of her head, while Izzy prattled on about something that she and Melissa had done at preschool that week.

When everyone was ready to go, Horatio buckled Izzy into her booster seat and they were off. These lazy Izzy Days were spent however they felt like. Sometimes they went to a movie, or to the beach, while other times they went to dinner or an amusement park. Today, however was going to be an easy relaxed day at the park.

When Horatio helped Izzy out of the car, the first thing she did was run towards the swings. "Push me Daddy!" she said crawling up onto the swing. Horatio pushed her for a long while and then when she was swinging well enough he sat on the swing next to her and tried to imitate her motions, but the swing was way too short for him. This made Izzy giggle, which was his favorite sound in the world.

They played around at the playground for a long time before Izzy got hungry and they bought lunch at a sandwich stand nearby. After lunch they wandered a sort of farmer's market that was set up in the park. Horatio swung Izzy up on his shoulders so that she could see everything. As they passed a flower stand, Izzy exclaimed, "Look at the pretty flowers!" Horatio followed her eyes and saw that she was looking at a small bunch of miniature daisies. He smiled and the indulgent father side of him came out as he passed some money to the woman running the booth and then handed the small bouquet of daisies to his daughter.

"Ooo Daddy, thank you!" Izzy squealed, wrapping her arms around his neck from behind. They continued walking until Izzy spotted a young woman with several flowers pinned up in her hair. "Could you put some flowers in my hair?" Izzy asked, leaning around Horatio's head so she could see him better.

"Of course, sweetheart," he said, swinging her off his shoulders onto a nearby park bench. He carefully tucked some of her daisies into her braid and then put a longer stemmed one behind her ear. "There," he said, smiling, "You look just like a princess."

"I do?" she questioned.

"Yep, you are the most beautiful princess in all of Miami!" he said, kissing her on the nose making her giggle again. "What does Princess Izzy want to do next?"

She thought about it for a moment, before her eyes lit up and she said, "Remember last time you said I could go on a horsey ride, but then it rained so we couldn't? Can we go on the horsey ride now?"

"Alright," he said, taking her hand and leading her towards the car, "I think we can do that."

Horatio had a friend who owned a horse ranch just north of Miami and he had told Horatio that anytime Izzy wanted to ride a horse, he could bring her over. After the short drive to the ranch, Horatio unbuckled his daughter and put her on the ground. She immediately ran over to the fence so she could see the horses. Horatio smiled at her and then turned to his friend Peter who owned the horses.

"I see the little princess wanted her ride," Peter joked as they watched Izzy practically climb through the fence to get to the horses.

"Yeah, she was looking forward to it last time," he said, "Is it alright if we do it today instead?"

"That's perfectly alright," Peter answered, "Let me saddle up Lily and I"ll be right back."

A few moments later Peter came back, leading a beautiful white horse. Horatio crouched down beside his daughter and asked, "Are you ready for your ride?"

Izzy's eyes went big as she saw the horse standing before her. She hadn't expected it to be so big. She grinned at Horatio's question and simply nodded.

Horatio picked her up and swung her onto the horse's back. Although the horse wasn't big by any normal standard, it was enormous to the little girl. Horatio could tell his daughter was a bit nervous so he leaned in and softly said, "Her name is Lily. Only the princesses of Miami get to ride her."

This brought a huge smile from Izzy and she leaned down to pet the horse's neck. With Peter holding onto the reins, they began to walk towards the riding pasture. When the horse started moving, Izzy latched onto Horatio's arm and held it tightly. "Will you walk next to me Daddy?" she asked, her nervousness not all together dissipated.

"Of course, sweetheart," he said, squeezing her hand.

With this promise Izzy relaxed and began to really enjoy her ride. Horatio was there next to her every step of the way. Soon the sun began to set and Horatio decided to call it quits for the night. He nearly had to drag Izzy off the horse; she did not want the ride to stop.

Back at the stables Peter let Izzy feed Lily a carrot and the horse's lips on her hand made Izzy laugh. They said goodbye to Peter and got back into the car.

"What did you think of that?" Horatio asked her as they drove home.

"I liked it a lot!" Izzy exclaimed, "Can we do it again sometime?"

"I think we can arrange that," Horatio said with a smile.

When they got home, Izzy helped Horatio fix dinner and they ate out on the back porch. Horatio loved watching his daughter eat as she tried to keep her peas from touching anything else. After dinner they played outside in the backyard together for a while and then laid on their backs on the grass and watched the stars come out. He pointed out different constellations and she asked him questions.

"Daddy, what makes the stars shine so brightly?" Izzy asked.

"Every night the angels come out and polish the stars so that you can see them," Horatio said, using an simple childish explanation.

"Will I ever get to be an angel?" Izzy asked after a moment.

"Someday," Horatio said, "but right now you are my angel, and that's a very important job too."

Izzy rolled over and gave him a big hug. "I love you Daddy."

"I love you too Izzy," he said returning the hug.

When Izzy yawned a moment later, Horatio decided that it was time for bed. He carried her upstairs and got a bubble bath ready for her. He sat next to the tub while she splashed and giggled. She leaned over and gave him a bubble mustache. She laughed as she watched the expression on his face and then dove out of the way when he reached to give her a bubble beard.

They played together for a while before he got her out of the bath and wrapped her in a big fuzzy towel while he went to get her P.J.s. When she was little he had tried to dress her in cute lacy nightgowns or pink footie pajamas, but she always preferred to sleep in one of his old raggedy t-shirts. He had asked her why she liked them so much and her simple answer was, "They keep me warm and safe, just like you Daddy".

Once Izzy was dressed he scooped her up and gave her an piggy-back ride to her bedroom, creating a multitude of giggles. He plopped her on her bed and tickled her until she was laughing so hard she could barely breathe. "Story Daddy?" she asked between fits of giggles.

"Which one do you want tonight?" he asked, stopping the tickling and turning to the bookshelf beside her bed.

"Cinderella!" she said, "Cause she's a princess like me!"

He smiled, settled down next to her on the bed and began reading. His voice was very soothing to Izzy and she relaxed as he read. This was their nightly tradition and if they skipped a night, Izzy was sure to let him know.

"...And they all lived happily ever after. The End," they said together.

"Alright, now it's time for this princess to go to bed," he said tucking the covers around her.

"Night Daddy. I love you." she said smiling.

"I love you too Angel. Sweet dreams," he said leaning down and giving her butterfly kisses.

She giggled, its liquid sunshine filling the room.

**TBC**

**Next Chapter: Kindergarten Babies**


	5. Kindergarten Babies

**A/N:** **Hi everyone! Sorry for the lack of updates, real life got in the way for a while, but I'm back now! Thank you so much for all who reviewed! It keeps me going and it makes my day that you enjoy my work! **

**Enjoy the next chapter of _Unexpected Journey_!**

The years faded into the background as he heard an echo of her four year old giggle just down the hall. He smiled. Her laugh was still like a drug; he was addicted to it. He could hear her voice and realized she must be talking on the phone. He got out of bed and walked down the hall to her bedroom door.

Her door was open a crack and he could hear the warmth of her voice as she talked.

"I can't wait either," she was saying, "I miss you too." There was a pause and then she continued, "Well, I'd better get going, I've got a lot to do to get ready. I love you so much Gavin. See you in a few hours. Bye."

He stepped back as her door opened. "Oh, morning Daddy," she said, slightly startled by his presence.

"Good morning Izzy," he said, giving her a hug, "How is the bride-to-be?"

"A little nervous, but excited and happier than I've ever been," she said, joy oozing out of her every feature.

He grinned. " I'm glad. As long as my Izzy is happy, I'm happy."

"Well I'd better go get in the shower, I doubt Gavin wants me to show up at our wedding in my pajamas," she said brushing past him.

As he watched her walk away, he had a though that brought a little twinge to his heart. This was the last time he was ever going to see her this way. He thought that she still looked beautiful, even with her hair disorderly, wearing his old t-shirt, a habit that she had continued even into adulthood, although now she had to wear shorts under it.

Today was about doing what was best for her, even if it was hurting him. She was growing up and she wouldn't need him forever. He recalled the first time he had ever felt that way. It had been on her first day of kindergarten...

* * *

"Izzy, breakfast!" Horatio called up the stairs as he put the sausage on a plate and turned off the stove.

"Coming," came the muffled call from upstairs.

Today was a new beginning for both of them. Izzy was starting kindergarten. 'Wow that sounds weird,' he mused to himself as he finished setting the table. Just as he set the pitcher of orange juice on the table, Izzy came bouncing down the stairs.

She was dressed in khaki capris and a pink shirt with little blue and yellow flowers on it. He chuckled, though as he noticed her shoes were on the wrong feet and laced backwards.

"Come here sweetie, your shoes are on the wrong feet," he said walking into the living room and bending down to fix her shoes.

She plopped down on the chair and watched as he took off her shoes and then put them back on the right feet.

"Will I ever get it right?" she asked.

He smiled slightly at the discouragement in her voice. "You'll get it eventually Angel," he promised tying up the laces, "These things take practice sometimes. There all better." He finished tying the shoes with a flourish and then kissed her on the forehead.

"Thank you Daddy," she said giving him a big hug.

"You are most welcome," he said, standing, "Breakfast is getting cold so I suggest that we dig in."

She smiled and bounced into the kitchen. He laughed and followed her.

After breakfast he watched her brush her teeth and hair, and then he helped her put a headband in to keep the hair out of her face. "Go grab your backpack and we'll go take some pictures out front," he said, putting the last strand of hair into its place.

"Pictures?" she asked, raising her eyebrows in a way that made her look much older, "Daddy, do we have to?"

"Yes," he laughed, tweaking her nose, "Because someday you might want to remember your first day of school."

She went to grab her backpack and Horatio headed down the stairs to get the camera. He turned around when he heard her coming and his breath caught in his throat. Horatio was not an emotional man for the most part, but there was something about this little girl that made a wuss out of him. There she was at the top of the stairs, looking so grown up to him. She grinned and came flying down the stairs on the banister, something she knew he didn't like her doing. He pretended to be angry but she coaxed a smile out of him and he scooped her up and tickled her. She laughed and the sound brought light into his world.

"Let's take the pictures Daddy," she managed between giggles, "I don't want to be late!"

He set her back on her feet and straightened her hair back before heading out the door. She sat next to the fountain in the front yard and he took some cute photos of her. "Well, princess," he said after he had taken some pictures, "What do you say we get you to school?"

She nodded eagerly and ran to the car. 'I hope she's this excited for school every day of her life,' he laughed to himself as he walked over to her.

She chattered away as they drove the short distance to the elementary school. When they pulled up in front of the school, Horatio wasn't sure who was more nervous, Isabelle or him. The thought of leaving his baby girl here all alone during the day scared him to death. It wasn't that he didn't trust the school, but that he was very protective of his only child. She had never been that far away from him for very long, and when she was, she was safe in the crime lab's daycare, a new addition since the birth of the CSI kids.

He helped her out of the car and then knelt down in front of her so that they were eye level. "Do you want me to walk in with you?" he asked, taking off his sunglasses.

"I member where it is Daddy," she said in her childish speech, "I can do it by myself!"

"Alright," he said, smiling and ducking his head for a moment. Looking back up he said, "Izzy, if anyone ever tries to bully you or make you feel like you aren't good enough, I want you to remember that you are a Caine, and that is something to be proud of. You are strong and beautiful and smart, and I don't want you to let anyone make you feel otherwise. You are my daughter and I am so proud of you."

He put a hand on her shoulder and she listen closely to what he was saying. "I love you so much Izzy," he said pulling her into a tight hug.

"I love you too Daddy," she said, hugging him fiercely.

He released her just as a car pulled up next to them and three familiar figures got out.

"Belle!" came the shrill voice of Melissa Delko as she ran over to give her cousin a big hug.

Horatio stood to greet Eric and Natalia. "Decided to see Melissa off too, did you?" he asked with a smile.

"Of course," Natalia said, looping her arm around Eric's, "We wouldn't miss it for the world!"

Eric and Natalia said goodbye to their daughter and then Horatio gave Izzy one last hug before he let her go. As he watched her skip into the school, Melissa by her side, he felt a tiny pain in his heart. She stopped at the doorway and turned around to blow him a kiss before disappearing into the building. He smiled and waved at her retreating form.

"Wow," Eric said, leaning against the truck, "Does anyone else besides me feel really old all of a sudden? I'm too young to have a daughter in kindergarten."

Horatio laughed and then turned to him," I feel old too, but I think I have a little more right to than you do, Mr. Two-kids-and-a-baby-on-the-way."

They both laughed and Eric slipped an arm around Natalia. "I am one lucky guy, that's for sure," he said kissing his wife on the cheek, "Well we'd better get going or we'll be late for work, and you know how the boss hates that."

Horatio laughed and said, "If you don't tell, I won't."

They got into their respective cars and drove away, Horatio's mind still back with his little girl, who was growing up so fast. One day she wouldn't need him anymore, but thankfully, he reminded himself, that was years away. Right now was a time to enjoy the present, and enjoy it, he would.

**TBC**

**A/N: Next chapter: Petals and Practice**


	6. Petals and Practice

**A/N: Hi everyone! Sorry for the long delay in updating; I got busy with school and then some other stories demanded attention. I'm back now though, with my longest chapter ever! I didn't intend for it to be this long, but then my little CaRWash heart got carried away. ;)**

**This chapter is dedicated to Dutchie15. I wrote this chapter because she gave my story a chance and I promised her CaRWash in return**** Thank you so much and I hope you enjoy it!**

**Chapter 6: Petals and Practice**

_I thank God for all the joy in my life_

Horatio was standing in the kitchen, scrambling eggs, when the phone rang. 'Who could that be?' he wondered, turning down the heat on the stove so the eggs wouldn't burn as he reached for the phone. He looked at the caller ID and smiled when he saw 'Wolfe'.

"Hello?"

"Hey Horatio," Calleigh's southern accent was thick this morning, "How are you today?"

"I'm well, thank you," he answered, stirring the eggs, "But I don't think you called to see how _I_ was doing, not on my daughter's wedding day."

Calleigh laughed and shook her head, "As much as I like talking to you, you're right, I wasn't calling just to say hi. I was hoping to ask Belle about something."

"Umm, I'm sure she'd love to talk to you, but she's in the shower at the moment. Can I have her call you back?" he asked, holding the phone between his ear and his shoulder.

"Actually maybe you can help me," she said trying to stick another bobby pin into the hair of her squirming seven year old, "I was just wondering what side Belle wants the flowers on the girls' headbands to be on. Right now I've got them on the right side, but I just wanted to make sure exactly how Belle wanted them."

Horatio laughed, "I really don't think Belle is going to be that particular about how her flower girls' hair is done. As long as they both match, it shouldn't be a problem."

"Alright," Calleigh said, chasing down her three year old, "I just wanted to make sure...Ryan can you come help Emily with her necklace...Sorry about that," she said talking back into the phone again, "I forgot how much work it is to get two little girls ready for a wedding."

"Hard to believe 14 years ago we were getting Izzy and Mel ready for your wedding, isn't it?" Horatio asked.

"Isn't that funny how things worked out?" Calleigh asked, "I mean, Belle was the flower girl for my wedding and now my two little girls are going to be flower girls at her wedding. It's hard to believe that she's getting married!"

"I know what you mean," Horatio said, "Do you remember the night you and Ryan asked her to be a flower girl?"

Calleigh laughed, "Yes, particularly the part about the ring..."

* * *

"Izzy, don't forget Aunt Calleigh and Uncle Ryan are coming over later," Horatio called up the stairs to his daughter's retreating form.

Izzy stuck her head around the corner. "Why are they coming here?" she asked, backpack still in hand.

"They have something they want to ask you. I think you'll like it," Horatio said, depositing his work stuff in the closet.

"Okay," Izzy said, shrugging and continuing to her room.

About an hour later there was a knock on the door. "Aunt Calleigh! Uncle Ryan!" Izzy squealed, running towards the door. She had the door thrown open and was in the arms of her uncle before Horatio even made it into the living room.

"Izzy, what have I told you about opening the door without me there?" Horatio scolded.

"But Daddy..." she whined, dragging out the sound for the full effect, "It's Aunt Calleigh and Uncle Ryan! They aren't going to hurt me."

"You never know," Ryan growled teasingly, pretending to drop Izzy. She squealed and latched onto Ryan's shirt.

"Hey now," Calleigh said, "Don't I get a hug too? Or is Uncle Ryan going to keep you all for himself?"

"Now Calleigh," Ryan said while Izzy jumped from his arms to Calleigh's, "You've just got to accept the fact that there are two girls in my life. You are going to have to share me. If that's a problem, we might as well call the whole thing off."

"Call what off?" Izzy asked the laughing adults.

"See what you've done now Ryan?" Calleigh said, rolling her eyes at him and walking into the house, "We decided we were going to tell her together, and now you've gone and spoiled it."

"Spoiled what?" Izzy continued to press as she sat down on the coffee table in front of her aunt and uncle, "This isn't funny. What's going on?"

Ryan and Calleigh looked at each other for a minute before Ryan took Calleigh's hand. "Well Izzy, we have something very important to tell you," he began.

"Your Uncle Ryan and I are getting married," Calleigh smiled as Ryan squeezed her hand.

"You're getting married!" Izzy said, excitement gushing from her. She looked over at her father who didn't seem the least surprised. "Daddy, did you know they were getting married?"

Horatio laughed from his perch on the armchair. "Yes, sweetheart, I knew they were getting married. They told me this morning."

"You knew and you didn't tell me?!" Izzy asked, slightly frustrated with her father.

"We wanted to be able to tell you ourselves," Calleigh explained, "We also wanted to ask you something."

"Okay," Izzy said, leaning back on the coffee table.

"We were wondering if you would be the flower girl at our wedding," Ryan said.

"Really?!" Izzy squealed launching herself into Calleigh's arms. Turning around on Calleigh's lap Izzy asked, "Can I Daddy? Please, please can I be in their wedding?"

"Of course Angel," Horatio laughed.

"Ooo goody!" Izzy laughed excitedly, hugging her uncle and then her aunt again.

While the adults talked details about the wedding, Izzy sat on Calleigh's lap and listened in. Calleigh had her arms around Izzy, holding her tight, when Izzy noticed something shiny on her finger.

"Aunt Calleigh, you got a new ring!" Izzy said, holding up Calleigh's hand for proof.

The adults laughed. "I sure did," Calleigh said, admiring the ring and then turning to Ryan with a smile, "Ryan gave it to me to show me how much he loves me."

"Hmmm," Izzy said, clearly thinking hard, "Daddy, you never gave me a pretty ring; you love me, but I don't have one. How come?"

"Well sweetheart," Horatio said with a smile, motioning for Izzy to come over and sit on his lap, "Those kind of rings only come from someone who loves you very much and who you want to marry. Someday when you are all grown up, there will be boy that will give you a ring like that because he loves you. Then you'll get to be a beautiful bride like Aunt Calleigh."

Izzy thought this over for a moment. "Okay Daddy," she said accepting what he had said, "When I grow up, I want to marry a guy like Uncle Ryan."

"Those are pretty few and far between," Calleigh said as she slipped an arm around Ryan, "But I bet you'll find someone even better." She giggled and ducked as Ryan playfully swung at her.

* * *

"Well, I never thought I'd say it, but I think she did find someone better than Ryan," Calleigh laughed, "For her at least. I wouldn't trade my guy for all the money in the world."

"I bet Ryan's glad you feel that way," Horatio joked, but then became serious, "I didn't think there would ever be a guy that was good enough for my little girl, but Gavin is about as close as it gets."

"He is a great guy," Calleigh agreed, "And he makes her happy, so that is the best part...Kelsi, get back here! We need to get you dressed!..." There was a humph as she grabbed hold of her youngest daughter and wrestled her into the bedroom. "These guys are giving me a run for my money today!" Calleigh commented, pulling a dress over Kelsi's head. Was Belle like this the morning of my wedding?"

"Oh yeah," Horatio laughed, "I still remember trying to get her ready in time. She just would not cooperate that day..."

* * *

"Izzy, time to get up; we've got to get you ready for the wedding," Horatio said, putting a hand on his six year old's shoulder.

Izzy rolled over and rubbed her eyes. "It's today?!" she asked excitedly sitting up.

"Yes, but we've got to get going if we don't want to be late," Horatio said standing up, "Breakfast is on the table."

"Just a minute Daddy," Izzy said, jumping out of bed and running to her closet, "I want to put on my pretty dress." She pulled out the sky blue flower girl dress and started to put it on.

"Wait a second Izzy," Horatio said, going over to stop her, "We don't want to spill breakfast on it. How about we put it on after we eat?"

"No Daddy," Izzy said impatiently stomping her foot, "I want to wear my pretty dress!"

Horatio sighed, he could feel a full blown tantrum coming on. She didn't throw fits very often, but when she did she could kick and scream with the best of them. "Alright, alright," he sighed, thinking that Calleigh wouldn't appreciate it very much if the flower girl showed up with tear stained cheeks and red eyes, "You can wear the dress, but we have to put your robe over it so you don't spill anything."

Izzy grinned and Horatio felt relieved; one crisis averted.

Later he couldn't get her to hold still long enough to fix her hair because she was so excited for the wedding. He finally sat her between his knees and held her there so she couldn't move. Between other minor crises such as the shoes pinching her toes, and Izzy's episodes of mischief (she had taken his bowtie and forgotten where she put it), they were running slightly behind schedule.

When they arrived at the garden where the wedding was to take place, Horatio was a little stressed to say the least. Before he took her over to the room where the feminine side of the wedding part was getting ready, he sat her down in the Hummer for a quick chat.

"Izzy, I need you to listen to me for a minute. This is Aunt Calleigh's and Uncle Ryan's special day, I don't want you to do anything to ruin it. I need you to be a good girl and walk down the aisle just like we practiced. Can you be a big girl and do that for me?"

Izzy nodded and gave her father a hug. "Okay Daddy," she promised.

Horatio took her by the hand and led her to the bride's room. He knocked on the door and a very recognizable accent said, "Who is it?"

"It's Horatio," he answered, "I've come to deliver the flower girl you ordered."

"By all means come in!" came the reply.

When Horatio walked into the room, he was suddenly confronted by a sea of color and perfume. The room was bustling with action as bridesmaids hurried to get ready. In the center of the room, standing on a raised pedestal was Calleigh. Calleigh grinned and came over to greet them.

"Hi guys," she said, giving Horatio a big hug and then bending down to give Izzy one as well.

"Wow," Horatio said, "Ryan isn't going to be able to speak when he sees you. You look absolutely beautiful."

"You think so?" Calleigh asked spinning around, showing off her dress.

"I know so," Horatio said with a smile.

"You look pretty Aunt Calleigh," Izzy said shyly.

"Why thank you darlin'," Calleigh smiled, "And look at you! All grown up and looking beautiful!"

Izzy giggled and looked up at her father's approving face. He smiled back at her.

"I have something for you, from your Uncle Ryan and me," Calleigh said, turning to the table where a small jewelry box sat. She took the box and opened it so that Izzy could see what was inside. The box contained a beautiful silver bracelet and a small silver ring that looked very much like Calleigh's.

"Wow," Izzy said, eyes wide, "That's for me?"

"Yep, it's all for you," Calleigh said, taking the bracelet out of the box and putting it on Izzy's wrist, "The bracelet is to thank you for being in the wedding, and the ring is from Uncle Ryan. He just wants to make sure that you know that he loves you no matter what."

"Thank you Aunt Calleigh!" the young girl said, throwing her arms around the bride.

"Well, I'd better get going, I have a groom to calm down," Horatio said, winking at Calleigh, "You look beautiful and I will see you both in a little while."

He gave his daughter and Calleigh a hug. "Horatio, will you tell Ryan I love him and give him a kiss for me?" Calleigh asked, kissing Horatio on the cheek.

"I will, but somehow I don't think it'll mean that much coming from me," he laughed, turning and walking out the door.

As Horatio had predicted, Ryan was pacing the floor, nervous and excited at the same time. "Hi H," Ryan said, looking up and then continuing his pacing.

"Good, you're here," Eric said, standing up from the step where he had been sitting, "Someone else can calm him down. This best man has about had it."

Horatio laughed, "I'll see what I can do. Ryan, Calleigh said to tell you she loves you and that she can't wait to see you. She also told me to give you a kiss for her, but I draw the line there."

Ryan lapsed out of pacing, laughing and visibly relaxing. "How is she Horatio?" Ryan asked.

"She's wonderful; very happy and very excited to become your wife," Horatio reported, "And she looks absolutely amazing. She's going to take your breath away, that's for sure."

"She already does," Ryan grinned.

A few moments later the preacher announced he was ready to start. The procession lined up, preparing to walk down the aisle. Alexx joined the group and linked arms with Horatio, who was to walk her down the aisle.

"Can you believe that our little bullet girl is getting married?" Alexx asked.

"I'm having a harder time believing that Ryan is getting married," Horatio joked.

The music started and they began walking down the aisle two by two. Ryan's sister Jacqueline and Calleigh's brother Mike preceded Horatio and Alexx. After them came Eric, the best man, escorting his wife and the matron of honor, Natalia. Horatio watched Ryan's face and had to grin at the anxiousness he saw there. When he reached the end of the aisle, Horatio took his place and turned to watch his daughter walked down the aisle.

She looked like an angel that day, with the sun highlighting her hair in such a way that made it look as if she was glowing. Her dress was simple, but it looked very cute on her, and in her left hand she carried a white basket filled with little white flower petals which she preceded to scatter along the path. She looked up at her father for a moment and got a glow of approval. She smiled shyly and kept walking.

The music changed and all eyes turned to that back of the garden where a radiant Calleigh stood on her father's arm. Calleigh grinned at her dad as they began the short walk down the aisle. There were sighs of 'she's so grown up' and 'look at that smile, she's in love' as she passed her friends and family.

Ryan's face was priceless as Calleigh came towards him. Horatio had been right, she looked beautiful. For Ryan and Calleigh, that walk down the aisle lasted a lifetime. When she finally reached the altar, her father turned Calleigh towards him and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He then took Calleigh's hand and placed in gently in Ryan's, looking into his son-in-laws eyes as if to say, 'she's yours now, take care of her'.

Calleigh and Ryan grinned at each other and then turned to the minister who began the ceremony. The vows were simple and sweet, reflective of Calleigh and Ryan's character. When it came time for Calleigh to say "I do", there was not a dry eye in the place.

"By the power vested in me by the great state of Florida, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride," the minster said.

Ryan smiled and drew Calleigh in close before kissing her deeply. Cheers rose up from the crowd as they celebrated. Ryan pulled back after a long while and winked at his wife, before leading her back down the aisle.

There was much celebration for hours after the wedding. The photographer took picture after picture to memorialize this special day. Horatio's favorite picture was of Izzy sitting on a bench with Calleigh's arms around her from behind. They were both grinning and he could almost hear them laughing every time he saw it. The photographer also took one of him and Izzy that he kept on his desk. In the photo he was kneeling and offering Izzy a beautiful flower. She had her hands clasp in front of her and was smiling adorably.

Eventually the party moved into the reception hall where the bride and groom greeted their guests. There were toasts, there was laughter and there was love. Soon they began playing music and Ryan led his bride onto the dance floor for their first dance as husband and wife. As Ryan and Calleigh swayed to the music, Horatio couldn't help but smile. They were so perfect for each other and he was happy that they had one another.

He held Izzy in his arms so that she could see. "Daddy," she said suddenly, "When I get married, I want to dance like that."

"We can make that happen," Horatio said, kissing his daughter on the cheek.

Other people joined the bride and groom on the floor during the next song. Horatio danced with Alexx and Natalia, and even his niece Melissa. When the father daughter song came on however, all eyes turned to Calleigh and her dad. Horatio couldn't tell what was being said, but from the look on Calleigh's face, it must have been touching. As father and daughter pairs began to dance as well, Horatio turned to Izzy.

"May I have this dance?" he asked, holding out his hand.

"Of course Daddy," Isabelle said, walking out on the floor with her father.

She stood on his toes as they danced and he felt joy in a way he would never be able to explain. Here he was at his friends' wedding, dancing with his beautiful little girl. He looked over to see Eric holding Melissa, swaying to the music, and then to Calleigh who was being spun slowly by her father. Izzy giggled and looked up at him, and he spun in a circle with her still on his toes. They danced the next few dances that way, until he walked over to get a dance with the bride.

He tapped Ryan on the shoulder as the next song began. "Excuse me, is there any way, I could steal your dance partner for one number?"

Ryan smiled. "I could maybe let you do that, if you'll let me dance with my other favorite girl," he said, winking at Izzy.

"It's a deal," Horatio said with a nod, handing his daughter over to Ryan, before stepping into Calleigh's arms, "Shall we?"

Calleigh smiled as they swept across the ballroom. "So was today everything you dreamed it would be?" Horatio asked.

"Everything and so much more," Calleigh answered, a light in her eyes shining happiness, "I can't believe I'm really his."

They danced for a few more minutes while watching Ryan twirl with Izzy. "She adores him," Horatio commented.

"And he adores her," Calleigh grinned, "It makes me wonder what he'll be like with our kids."

"It won't be long before you find out," Horatio said winking at her, "Especially if Alexx has anything to say about it."

She blushed and then laughed. "Hopefully not too soon," Calleigh said, "Give us a couple of years and then we'll see."

As the dance drew to a close, Calleigh turned to a more serious note. "Horatio, I just want to thank you for being such a good friend to me over the years, I really appreciate it. It means a lot to me that you were here on my special day."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," he said, giving her a hug, "Now, I'd best let you get back to your husband, otherwise he's apt to come and track you down."

She laughed and gave him one last hug before leaving in search of her husband. Izzy came up to Horatio and bounced into his arms.

"Uncle Ryan says that him and Aunt Calleigh are leaving in a few minutes," Izzy reported, "And Aunt Calleigh's going to throw the bouquet. Can I try to catch it?"

"Sure sweetheart," he said kissing her on the forehead. A few minutes later the girls were all called together and the bouquet was tossed. It landed perfectly in Izzy's hands. Calleigh giggled and kissed Izzy on the cheek before taking Ryan's hand and heading toward the door.

The party spilled out onto the steps of the reception hall and rice was thrown as the couple made their way to the waiting vehicle. True to Calleigh and Ryan's unique style, the limo had been replaced with a white stretch Hummer, the words "Just Married" written on the back window. Ryan helped Calleigh into the Hummer and then climbed in himself. They both waved out the window as the Hummer disappeared around the bend like a classic fairy tale ending.

Horatio had Izzy in his arms as they both waved goodbye. Izzy leaned her head on Horatio shoulder wearily. "Did you have fun today princess?" he asked.

"Oh yes Daddy," she yawned, snuggling into his chest, "It was the best day of my life."

**A/N: Thank you to all who have reviewed. You guys are so cool!!! I'm sorry I haven't been able to respond to every review, but I promise that each one is deeply appreciated! Keep reading and please keep reviewing! Thanks!**


	7. Mother's Day

**A/N: Hello again everyone! Sorry I've been so sporadic about updating; with school just ending, moving, and starting a new job I've been pretty busy, which hasn't left much time for updating. :( I'm hoping to do at least a chapter a week from now on.**

**Thank you so much for the reviews and if you are still reading this you deserve serious props! Thank you for reading! Please enjoy the next chapter of **_**Unexpected Journey**_

**Chapter 7: Mother's Day**

"_Oh yes Daddy," she yawned, snuggling into his chest, "It was the best day of my life."_

"She really said that?" Calleigh laughed, "Well I hope today is the best day of _her _life."

"I think it will be," Horatio said, looking up the stairs when he heard the water in the bathroom turn off, "Are you about ready for the wedding?"

"Almost," Calleigh sighed, buckling Kelsi's shoe, "Being a mom to three kids can kinda slow you down sometimes. But I wouldn't trade these rugrats for anything." She gave Kelsi Eskimo kisses before sending her off to find Ryan.

"I know what you mean; Isabelle's the best thing that ever happened to me," Horatio said, "Calleigh, I feel like you should be getting half the credit for raising Izzy. I mean you've taught her so much and I never could have gotten through it all without you. You're her mom in all the ways that matter."

"And I've loved having a third daughter," Calleigh said, "But I'll never be able to replace her real mom. She was an amazing woman."

"She was," Horatio said softly, "And we aren't going to forget about her today. Somehow I feel like she's been here all along, watching Izzy grow up."

"Knowing Marisol, I bet she was," Calleigh said.

Horatio smiled, his mind suddenly lost in another memory. "You know, I don't think Izzy realized she was without a mother until Josh was born..."

RING-RING-RING

"Hold on just a second Angel," Horatio said, standing from where he hand been sitting on the floor playing Barbies with Izzy, and walking over to the phone.

"Hello?" he said after picking up the phone.

Izzy rolled her eyes and picked up the Ken doll her father had left behind. In her opinion, Horatio was far to preoccupied with the ringing of that stupid phone. She wrinkled her nose as she looked at the outfit her father had dressed the doll in. Did he not know that black dress pants don't go with basketball jerseys? She sighed and began to redress the doll, totally disinterested with who her father was speaking to on the phone.

"Oh really?" Horatio said, grinning into the phone, "Of course, we'll be there soon... Congratulations again...Bye."

Horatio came back over to where his daughter was playing on the floor. He knelt down and was about to tell her the news, when he noticed the Ken doll redressed in a polo shirt and khaki pants. "Why did you change his clothes?" Horatio asked picking up the doll.

Izzy shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Daddy, Ken is going on a date with Barbie and he can't wear those clothes. Guys are supposed to look nice when they go out. That's the rule!" Izzy explained slowly as if her father couldn't understand.

"The rule, huh?" Horatio said, raising an eyebrow, "and who taught you that?"

"Aunt Calleigh," Izzy giggled, "Who else?"

"Ah," Horatio smiled, "Speaking of Aunt Calleigh, guess who was just on the phone?"

"Was it Uncle Ryan?!" Izzy asked, suddenly very interested.

"It was and he called to tell me that..." Horatio started before he was cut off by Izzy's excited cheering.

"The baby's here?!?!?!?!" Izzy asked jumping to her feet.

Horatio laughed. "Now how did you know that?"

"Cause I'm smart!" Izzy said winking, "Was it a boy or a girl?"

"Why don't we head over to the hospital so you can find out?" Horatio asked.

"Yay!" Izzy cheered, running to put on her shoes.

Horatio shook his head and smiled. Izzy had been so excited since Calleigh and Ryan told her they were going to have a baby. She would spend hours with Calleigh talking about the baby or shopping for the baby's room. She insisted on time with Ryan, convinced that she was helping him practice being a dad. The whole CSI family was excited, but Izzy was over the moon about it.

"Come on slow poke," Izzy said as she raced past her father on her way to the car. He got up and quickly followed.

Izzy sang all the way to the hospital. Horatio enjoyed her almost nonstop chatter and sometimes sang along. Today was definitely a day to celebrate. All of a sudden Izzy stopped in the middle of a song and asked, "Daddy, can I give the baby its present?"

"Sure sweetheart, but I don't think the baby is going to be able to open it just yet," Horatio said, watching Izzy in the rearview mirror.

"That's okay, I can help!" Izzy volunteered.

They stopped in the hospital gift shop long enough for Horatio to pick up some balloons and flowers and then they made their way up to the maternity ward.

"Okay Izzy, I need you to be quiet and good when we get up there," Horatio said as they waited for the elevator to reach the right floor, "There are a lot of little babies that need their rest; you can't be too noisy or they'll wake up."

"I'll be good Daddy, I promise!" Izzy insisted.

Calleigh's room was down a short hallway and around the corner. Horatio peeked through the glass in the door and smiled when he saw Calleigh. "This is it," he said, opening the door to allow Izzy to enter.

Izzy ran towards the bed, "Aunt Calleigh! Aunt Calleigh!"

"Bells!" Calleigh grinned, as Izzy jumped up on the bed, "How's my little sunshine?"

"I'm good, Aunt Calleigh," Izzy said as Calleigh wrapped her in a big hug. All of a sudden Izzy realized something was different and back away from her embrace. "Aunt Calleigh, your bump's gone," she said, motioning to Calleigh's stomach and wrinkling her eyebrows, "Where'd it go?"

"He's over here," came a voice from the other side of the room.

Izzy flipped around and grinned when she saw her Uncle Ryan sitting on the couch, holding something in his arms. She turned back to look at Calleigh as if asking permission.

"Go ahead darlin', he won't bite," Calleigh encouraged as Izzy scooted off the bed.

Horatio shot Calleigh a smile as Izzy tiptoed over to where Ryan was seated.

"Come here Izzy B," Ryan said, helping her onto the couch with one arm, "I want you to meet someone. This," he pulled back the blankets to reveal a tiny face, "is Joshua Ryan Wolfe."

Izzy leaned over and peered at the little baby in her uncle's arms. The baby had short brown fuzz covering his head and the longest eyelashes Izzy had ever seen. His tiny fist was curled up by his face and Izzy marveled at the little fingers. He yawned, startling Izzy just a little, and making the adults smile. When he opened his eyes, they were a beautiful blue.

"Wow," Izzy said, totally in awe of this little person, "He's so little. He's cute! I like him!"

"Well that's probably good," Ryan said, looking at Izzy momentarily, "Because you're going to be the one that he looks up too. You can be like a big sister to him."

"But he's not my little brother," Izzy said.

"I know," Ryan said, "But he doesn't have a big sister to look after him. He's lucky to have you."

"That's true," Izzy said making all the adults laugh.

"Would you like to hold him?" Ryan asked.

"Can I?" she asked.

"Of course," Ryan smiled, "Scoot back here on the couch." Ryan carefully adjusted Izzy's arms before gently placing baby Josh in her lap. "Careful with his head," Ryan said, holding a hand under Izzy's arm so she would have extra support.

Izzy giggled and looked down at her little 'cousin'. She was in complete awe of this baby in her arms. She had seen and held babies before, particularly Melissa's little brothers, but this one was different. Horatio watched his daughter with a glowing smile on his face. She would have been such a good big sister; he and Marisol had planned on having more children, but that dream had never come to pass. This moment was precious. He snapped a few mental pictures while Calleigh took some real ones.

While Izzy was holding the baby, Horatio walked over to Calleigh. "How are you?" he asked, giving her a hug.

"Honestly, I've felt better before," she said with a smile, "But I've never been this happy. Why didn't you tell me how amazing it is to have a baby?"

"It is pretty wonderful, isn't it?" Horatio said.

Calleigh nodded. "It's hard to believe he's mine. He's just so...perfect," she said starting to tear up, "And apparently he's also messing with my hormones," she finished, wiping away a tear.

Horatio laughed. "They do that to you, that's for sure. The first time Marisol saw me cry was when Belle was born. Oh, these are for you," he said handing her a bouquet of flowers and balloons.

"They're beautiful," she said sniffing the flowers, "My favorites in fact. Thank you so much."

"Hey Izzy," Horatio said, turning to his daughter, "Do you think I could have a turn holding the baby?"

Calleigh snorted, "It's not Izzy you've got to get him away from. Ryan's quite the baby hog. I think I've gotten to hold Josh for maybe 15 minutes since he was born."

"You got to hold him for nine months so be quiet," Ryan teased, taking the baby back from Izzy for a moment. Calleigh gave Horatio a look that said 'See?'.

"Alright, I guess you can hold him," Ryan said standing and walking over to Horatio, "I suppose it's only fair that his godfather gets a chance."

Horatio took the baby from Ryan and smiled down at the infant. "Hey there," he spoke softly to the baby, "You are quite the lucky guy to have parents like yours. You look just like your daddy."

"No he doesn't," Izzy piped up from her spot on Ryan's lap, "Uncle Ryan's not all red and squished looking."

"That much is true," Calleigh said, "but if you look at baby pictures of Uncle Ryan, they look just alike."

Horatio walked and cooed at the little baby in his arms. He loved all of his nieces and nephews, especially Mel and her brothers, but this little guy was special. He felt somehow more connected with Josh; it almost felt like it was his own son. He supposed he should feel this way, as the infant was his godson.

"Hey, Izzy," he said after a minute, "Why don't you give the baby's present to Aunt Calleigh to open?"

"Okay," Izzy said, jumping off Ryan's lap and picking up the present from the night stand before scrambling up onto the bed next to Calleigh.

"Thank you," Calleigh said taking the present, "But you didn't need to. You already gave us some wonderful presents at the baby shower."

"I know, but I couldn't resist," Horatio said, snuggling the baby close.

Izzy helped Calleigh unwrap the box. When the tissue paper was pulled back from the gift, Calleigh made a sound that was somewhere between a gasp and a laugh.

"Look at this Ryan," Calleigh said, pulling out an infant sized patrol officer's uniform. It was an exact duplicate of the one both Calleigh and Ryan had worn at one point in their lives. Ryan laughed when he saw it. "Look what is says on the name tag," she giggled, "Baby Wolfe."

"I figured since both his parents were cops that he might one day follow in your footsteps. At least he'll get some good practice in anyway," Horatio explained.

"Well, like you once told me," Ryan said, "It's in our blood, so its got to be in his as well."

"Thank you Bells," Calleigh said, hugging Izzy, "And thank you Horatio."

"You are most certainly welcome," Horatio smiled.

They sat around and talked for a long while, Horatio never letting the little boy out of his grasp. Izzy bounced back and forth between Calleigh and Ryan, getting her fair share of hugs before they got too preoccupied with the new baby.

Soon it was time for Horatio and Izzy to leave. "Well, I'd better let your momma have you back little one," Horatio said, handing the baby to Calleigh, "Congratulations again Cal; he's wonderful."

"Thank you," Calleigh smiled at her son, "I tend to think so too."

"And congratulations to you too Ryan," Horatio said, pulling his friend into a tight hug, "I'd suggest you get some sleep before you bring him home though. It might be your last chance at quality sleep for a while."

"Will do H," Ryan laughed, "Thanks for coming to see him."

"Anytime you get sick of him, I'll take care of him," Izzy volunteered enthusiastically.

"I might take you up on that," Calleigh said, before giving Izzy one last hug, "Love you Bells."

"Love you too Aunt Calleigh," Izzy said before hugging her uncle and then following her father out the door.

Once outside the room, Horatio took one last glance at the scene within. Ryan was sitting on the bed next to Calleigh and they were both smiling down at the little boy in her arms. Perfection, that is what the moment was, pure perfection. With a nostalgic smile Horatio led Izzy out the front door of the hospital.

Several hours later Izzy and Horatio were relaxing at the park after a picnic lunch. Horatio was stretched out on his back looking at the sky. Izzy sat on the blanket by his hip and played with some wild flowers she had picked. She had been unusually quiet ever since they left the hospital. Horatio wasn't worried though; whenever Izzy lapsed into long periods of silence, it usually meant that she was thinking hard about something. She would talk to him about it when she had worked it out in her mind and not a moment sooner. She was a lot like him in that regard. If he tried to get it out of her before she was ready, she'd get upset with him and wouldn't talk anyway.

He was half asleep when she posed a question that woke him right up.

"Daddy," she said quietly, as if unsure of how to tell him what was on her mind, "Where's my mommy?"

Horatio squeezed his eyes tightly shut as his heart sunk. He took a few deep breaths while trying to figure out what he was going to say. It wasn't that he didn't want his daughter to know about her mother, but rather that he wanted to protect her from the grisly truth. He knew he was going to have to have this conversation with her sooner or later, but he wasn't sure he was prepared for it.

"Why do you ask Sweetheart?" he asked, sitting up and facing her.

"Well, baby Josh has a mommy and a daddy that lives with him and that loves him. Mel has a mommy and a daddy. I just have a daddy. I was thinking...shouldn't I have a mommy too? Where is she Daddy?" Izzy asked, looking up from the wild flowers that she was twisting together in her lap.

He sighed trying to figure out the best approach. She was old enough to almost understand death, but he also didn't want to scare her.

"Izzy..." he paused, unsure, but then began again, "Izzy you do have a mommy who loves you very much."

"Where is she Daddy?" Izzy asked again.

"When you were just a tiny baby, your mommy died. It made me very sad for a long time. It still makes me sad sometimes when I think about it. But you know what? Remember when I told you about the angels that polish the stars? Your mommy is one of those angels, but she has an even more important job than polishing the stars. Her job is to watch over you, to make sure you are safe."

"She's an angel?" Izzy asked, scooting closer to her father, "How come I can't see her?"

"You can see her," Horatio promised, "Just not with your eyes. You can see her with your heart," he said putting a finger to her chest, "She's there with you all the time even if you can't see her. She loves you too much not to be with you."

"Daddy, what does she look like?" Izzy asked.

"Here, I've got a picture of her," Horatio said, pulling out his wallet and opening it to show Izzy a small picture. "This was taken on our wedding day, about a year before you were born."

Izzy took the small picture in her hands and gazed at it for a long time. Horatio got a lump in his throat as she traced the outline of her mother's face with her finger. "She's pretty," Izzy commented after a moment.

"Yes, yes she was," Horatio said looking at the picture, "And you look just like her."

Izzy gave him a small smile and snuggled up tightly next to her dad. "I miss her," Izzy sighed.

"I miss her too," Horatio said pulling his daughter close and kissing the top of her head, "More than you will ever know. But she would want us to be happy, even if she's not right here with us, okay?"

"Okay Daddy," Izzy said.

Later that day they stopped by the cemetery with a bouquet of fresh lilies. It was the first time Horatio had taken Izzy on his weekly trips to Marisol's grave. He watched as Izzy placed the flowers in the vase and then knelt in front of the headstone as if it were holy ground. Izzy carefully traced each letter of her mother's name.

"I love you Mommy," Izzy said quietly, "I miss you too. Daddy misses you more."

Horatio's eyes filled with tears as he watched this tender scene. Izzy had never really known her mother and she still didn't know the whole situation, but as she sat here talking to her mother, Horatio could swear that Izzy did know her, and did truly love her. Somehow Izzy had also sensed his feelings about Mari and knew how deep those feelings ran.

Izzy pressed a kiss to her fingers and then pressed her fingers against the picture on the tombstone. She then stood and took her father's hand. "She loves you still," Izzy said, looking up at Horatio.

"I know sweetheart, I know."

That night a new photograph sat on Izzy's bedside table. The picture was of Horatio and Marisol's wedding day, but to Izzy it was a picture of her Daddy and her guardian angel.

**TBC**

**A/N: Now that you've read this, it's time to do a little writing of your own! Please review!**

**Next chapter: The Birthday Cake Incident**

**Oh, before I forget, I'm thinking of introducing Gavin, Belle's future husband, in the next chapter and I'm curious... Would you like Gavin to be Belle's high school sweetheart, or would you like them to meet later in life? I'm having a hard time making up my mind and so I need your input! Thanks in advance!**


	8. The Birthday Cake Incident

**A/N: Hello again everyone! First let me thank the few who reviewed! You guys are absolutely amazing and this next chapter is dedicated to you! Secondly, sorry about the slow update, too much real life happening at the moment, and unfortunately, it has to come before writing. :( **

**Anyhoo, this chapter is just a lot of fun; no sappy stuff like what has been the norm so far. I loved writing this chapter and I think I had a goofy smile on my face the whole time. I hope it makes you giggle just as much as it did me. It's also more proof that I am simply incapable of writing a short chapter. ;) Enjoy!**

"_I know the cake looks funny, Daddy, but I sure tried."_

_In all that I've done wrong _

_I must have done something right_

_To deserve a hug every morning_

_And butterfly kisses at night_

Horatio had just hung up the phone from talking to Calleigh when he heard humming coming from upstairs. He looked up just in time to see Izzy slide down the banister, hopping off gracefully at the end. The wall opposite the staircase proved that she hadn't always been able to stop so easily; scuff marks and tiny dents abounded.

"You know you're not supposed to do that," Horatio teased as she walked into the kitchen.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," she grinned, "And yet I've never actually listened."

He shook his head, "What am I going to do with you?"

"Love me," she smiled, plucking a grape off its stem and popping it in her mouth, "Who was on the phone?"

"Calleigh. She was asking about the state of your flower girls' headbands," Horatio said, glancing up at his daughter as he poured pancake batter in the skillet.

Izzy's eyes bugged slightly in a look of confusion. "She called about headbands?" Izzy asked, the words slightly slurred due to her mouth being full.

"Yep, can you believe that?" Horatio asked.

"Well we are talking about Aunt Calleigh here..." Izzy noted, smirking slightly. The raised eyebrow that completed the look was lost somewhere up in the turbaned towel on Izzy's head. How utterly Izzy to come to breakfast wearing her old bathrobe, with her dripping hair still wrapped in a towel. He was going to miss that.

"Hey, I thought I told you we'd fix breakfast together today," Izzy said, taking the spatula out of her father's hand, "What happened to the 'me' part of together?"

"Well, I thought this was the last chance I'd have to baby you, and besides, I figured you need one last edible breakfast," Horatio commented, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Izzy asked, hands on her hips, pretending to be offended.

"We all know that your culinary skills...leave something to be desired," Horatio grinned, ducking the swinging spatula aimed at his head.

"Oh come on, I'm not that bad! I've improved a lot over the years!" Izzy defended herself.

"All right, I guess you aren't _that_ bad," Horatio conceded, "Your ropa vieja is just as good as your mom's ever was, but I think you better buy Gavin's birthday cakes. That would be a much safer bet than making your own."

"So that's what this is all about," Izzy said rolling her eyes and putting her face in her hand, "Dad, I was eleven; give me a break! You aren't ever going to let me live that one down, are you?"

"Nope," Horatio grinned, "It was just too cute and so you."

Isabelle blushed a little and shook her head. "I was so humiliated that day. I tried so hard to make it a special day for you and it all kinda went down hill from there."

"I know you tried your hardest," Horatio said, putting an arm around his daughter and kissing her temple, "That's what made it so wonderful; even if the cake was awful."

"That was the worst cake I have ever eaten, that's for sure," Izzy said, laughing at the memory, "You know, I bet that cake is in the same condition today as was ten years ago when I first made it..."

* * *

It was early April again, and Izzy was in one of her thinking moods. Melissa was used to this by now, but it still annoyed her slightly sometimes.

"Are you going to give me the silent treatment _all_ day?" Mel asked, swinging high up into the air on the swing. When there was no answer Mel sighed and tried again, "Earth to Isabelle. Come in Belle."

This time there was a flicker of movement in Izzy's eyes. "What?" she said, looking up at her cousin.

"Finally!" Mel huffed teasingly, "I was wondering if I was gonna have to call out a search party. Where've you been?"

"Sorry," Izzy blushed, "I was just thinking..."

"Am I surprised?" Mel asked, grinning and slowing down the swing so she was moving at the same pace as Izzy's swing, "Seriously though, what's up?"

"Well, my Dad's birthday is next week," Izzy said, "And I want to do something special for him but I don't know what. What does your mom do for your dad when its his birthday?"

Before Mel could answer, two little tan hands reached out and grabbed her ankles from behind and held on, so that when the swing went forward, Mel did a face plant right into the sand. Most girls would have cried and run to their moms when something like this happened, but Mel was not most girls.

"Jordan Timothy Delko, I'm gonna kick your butt!!!" Mel yelled, springing up from the ground as she took off after the person who pulled her from the swing. Jordan's nine year old eyes went wide as he sprinted away in pure terror, Mel close on his heels.

Izzy sighed and shook her head. Those two had been at each others throats practically since the day Jordan was born. Jordan was a natural trouble maker; he had inherited that lovely quality from his father, along with his black hair and crooked smile. He was always getting into mischief, and making Mel's life miserable was his favorite pastime. Mel tended to be the more peaceful sibling, but growing up with all brothers had taught her how to stick up for herself and defend her turf. Mel rarely started fights, but she ALWAYS finished them.

"She's gonna kill me!" Jordan screamed as raced for his life.

His cry was cut short, however, as Mel tackled him, knocking them both to the ground. Jordan hit face first, with enough force to give him a bloody nose. They tumbled and finally rolled to a stop, Mel sitting on Jordan's chest, pinning him to the ground. If Izzy had been holding score cards, she would have given that move a 10.

"What'd ya do that for?" Mel demanded, one hand on each of Jordan's wrists, holding them flush against the ground.

"I...I...," Jordan stuttered, finding it difficult to breathe with his sister on his chest, "I'm telling Mom you gave me a bloody nose!"

"You started it!" Mel defended, "Now say you're sorry or you're gonna regret it!"

The commotion the two rascals were causing attracted the attention of the rest of the school kids on the playground, but once they realized that it was only the Delkos, again, they lost interest and returned to their previous games.

"You're mean!" Jordan accused, "You deserve it! I"m not sayin' I'm sorry and I'm telling Mom on you!"

"Alright you asked for it!" Mel said, gathering spit into her mouth and then letting it dangle lower and lower, inches from Jordan's face.

"Ewww!" Jordan exclaimed, wriggling to get free, but his sister's grasp held him tight, "Alright, alright! I'm sorry! Please stop! Ewww! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

Mel sucked back up the dangle and then spit it into the grass just left of Jordan's head. "Get lost booger breath," she said gracefully getting to her feet, staring her little brother down.

Jordan moved so fast he was a blur as he scrambled past his sister, not wanting an encore. Melissa dusted herself off and casually walked back over to the swings as if nothing had happened.

"You do know your mom is going to kill you when she sees his bloody nose, right?" Izzy asked as Mel climbed back up on the swing.

"Yeah, probably, but in my defense he started it. You can be my witness," Mel grinned, knowing her best friend would stick up for her, "Little twerp will learn not to mess with me eventually."

Izzy just shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, where were we?" Mel asked, jumping back into the conversation as if they had never been interrupted, "Oh yeah, Dad's birthday...My mom usually decorates the house with balloons and such, then she wakes him up by putting a fresh cup of his favorite coffee by the bed. Then me and my brothers pounce on the bed and we give him his presents. After that we just sorta hang out and do whatever he wants until mom decides it's cake time. She always makes him a cake, even if it's just the boxed mix kind. After he blows out the candles we get to eat the cake, and Dad almost always squishes a little of the cake into mom's face. After that Mom tries to make dinner for him, all his favorites, but that usually ends with the fire alarms going off and Dad suggesting we eat out instead. Yep, that's pretty much it."

"Hmm, I think I can do most of those things, all but make a cake. I wouldn't even know where to start!" Izzy said dejectedly, shrugging her shoulders.

"I bet we could get someone to teach you!" Mel proposed, her eyes lighting up excitedly.

"Do you think your mom would be willing to teach me?" Izzy asked.

Mel's answer was lost in a fit of giggles.

"What's so funny?" Izzy wanted to know.

"My mom, cook? That's the funniest joke I've ever heard!" Melissa laughed, wiping a tear of mirth that had escaped her eye, "There's a reason my Dad does all the cooking at home; it's because everything my mom touches turns to charcoal!"

Izzy laughed, "I guess that wouldn't be a very good option, would it? Let's see, who else could I ask...What about Aunt Calleigh?"

Mel scrunched up her nose in thought, "Nah, she's been sick a lot lately and Uncle Ryan's says she's really tired all the time. I don't think we should bug her, even though she'd probably help us in a heart beat. Besides, her specialty is pies, not cakes."

"Who else is left?" Izzy asked, and then, as if they had the same thought at the same moment, both girls said, "Aunt Alexx!"

"Yeah, I bet she'd help you!" Mel said, thrilled with the idea.

"I'll call her after school and see if she can teach me this weekend," Izzy said, already planning in her head how everything would work out.

"Do you think maybe I could come too?" Mel asked.

"Of course, it'll be fun!" Izzy exclaimed, "But remember, this is a surprise for my Dad, so you can't tell anyone!"

"My lips are sealed," Mel said, grinning at her cousin.

* * *

When Izzy called Alexx about their idea after school, she readily agreed to help them out. She missed having her children around the house and these two were an excellent substitute. On Saturday morning Natalia picked Izzy up early, using the story that the girls were going to spend the day at the Delko's to keep Horatio from getting suspicious. Natalia dropped the girls off in front of Alexx's housing saying, "Be good you two and remember your manners!"

"We will," they chorused without turning back.

Alexx invited them in and they got down to business. She taught them how to make a simple yellow cake from scratch and the girls learned quickly. They spent the afternoon giggling and playing cards while the cake baked. The cake turned out perfectly. Alexx also helped them decorate the cake, although Mel mostly just licked frosting off the spoon.

"Well there you have it," Alexx said as the last sprinkle was dropped on the cake, "what do you think?"

"I think we should eat it!" Mel exclaimed.

"Alright," Alexx smiled, taking plates out of the cupboard, "But don't tell your parents I fed you cake before dinner."

"Yum!" Izzy said, "This cake is awesome Aunt Alexx!"

"And just think, you made it pretty much all by yourself. Do you think you can do it again for your dad's birthday?"

"I think so," Izzy said, licking frosting from her upper lip.

"Well if you need help, don't hesitate to call," Alexx added.

Izzy nodded, wiping a bit of frosting on Mel's nose. "Will do Aunt Alexx. Thank you again for teaching us!"

"Anytime sweetie," Alexx answered.

The rest of the week past quickly and before she knew it, Horatio's birthday had arrived. Izzy set her alarm extra early so she could be up before her dad. When it went off on the morning of April 7th, she quickly shut it off and tiptoes downstairs to the coffee machine. She yawned as she waited for coffee to percolate. When it was ready she poured it into her dad's favorite mug and then carefully took it upstairs, trying not to spill a drop.

She eased open the cracked door with her foot and padded softly to his night stand. Gently placing the mug there, she fan her hand, trying to get the smell to waft over to her dad's nose. That done she went back into her room to grab all the presents she had prepared (Calleigh had taken her shopping a few days earlier).

Horatio inhaled deeply as the smell of hazelnut and coffee beans filled his nostrils. Squinting open his eyes, he was surprised to find a steaming mug next to the bed. He sat up and reached for it smiling. A few moments later Izzy jumped up on his bed singing at the top of her lungs.

"Happy birthday dear Daddy...Happy birthday to you!!" she finished, plopping a pile of presents in front of him.

"Wow, all this for me?" Horatio asked, ruffling her hair.

"Yep," she grinned, "Now open your presents so we can get on with the rest of the day." She picked up a present and handed it to him, her brown eyes sparkling with excitement.

Izzy was doing her mental checklist of all the things she had planned as the day progressed. Coffee..check. Presents...check. Hanging out...check. Next was baking the cake. "Hey Daddy," she said, sidling up to where he was sitting on the couch, "Why don't you go out and take a nap in the hammock? It's so pretty outside today, it would be a shame to waste it."

"That sounds like a good idea." he agreed, "But what are you going to be doing?"

"It's a surprise," she grinned, wiggling her eyebrows.

"You aren't going to give me even a little hint?" Horatio asked, doing his best puppy dog eyes.

"That would ruin it," Izzy said.

"Alright, alright, I get the hint," Horatio said standing and stretching, "Just let me know if you need any help, alright?"

She nodded and pushed him out the back door before turning back to the kitchen. "Let's see, I need eggs, milk, butter, sugar and flour...," she said, rifling through the pantry. As she began to make the cake, she ran into some problems.

"Hmm, we're out of baking powder. I guess baking soda will have to do," she said dumping in the required amount. When she started to break the eggs, they didn't crack as nicely as Aunt Alexx's had; hers crumbled and a few pieces of egg shell fell into the batter. 'Oops' she thought. Trying to get them out proved to be more of a challenge than she thought, so in the end, she left quite a few pieces in. Measuring out the flour proved to be difficult as well and by the time she was done, there was flour everywhere.

She didn't have the nice round pan to bake the cake in, so instead she used a 9x13. She looked at her watch as she put the cake into the oven and realized that she didn't have a lot of time before dinner, so she upped the temperature, figuring that would hurry up the baking process.

Once the cake was in the oven, she began to clean up the huge mess she had made. When she was finished, she peeked out at her father and smiled when she saw him sleeping peacefully in the hammock. She could hear his soft snores from the back door. She giggled and went back inside to finish the cake.

The timer went off and she pulled the cake from the oven. It was a little lumpier than the one at Aunt Alexx's had been, and quite a bit darker too, but she figured a little frosting would fix it right up. She tried to flip the cake out of its pan so that it could cool, but the cake and stuck and it took quite a bit of scraping to get it out. When it did finally come out, there were holes in it and it was lopsided. Frosting could fix that too, she reasoned.

She covered the cake with frosting carefully, but not evenly. Sometimes the frosting was two inches thick to cover all the holes, and even then, the cake still looked unbalanced when it was finished. She decorated it with sprinkles, and finally the cake was done. She stepped back to admire her work; it wasn't as good as Alexx's had been, but she had done her best and she was still quite proud of it.

She decided that she couldn't wait until her dad woke up to taste the cake, so she took one of the chunks that had stuck to the pan, wiped a bit of frosting on it and popped it into her mouth. She chewed for a moment until the taste and texture caught up with her. Her face scrunched up and she began gagging. She hurried over to the sink and spit out the offensive morsel. That was the worst thing she had ever tasted; it was hard and crunchy and it tasted like bitter sawdust. She wiped her mouth and she battled with her emotions. She had ruined the cake, and, as a result, her father's birthday. Tears filled her eyes as she sank to the ground, wrapping her arms around her knees before burying her face to muffle the sobs.

Horatio woke up, unsure at first at what had awakened him. He stretched and looked at his watch; it was 4:30, meaning that he had slept for close to two hours. "I must have been tired," he mumbled, rubbing his face before standing, "I wonder what Izzy's up to?" He walked over to the door, but paused before entering, the sounds of quiet sobs coming from inside.

He pushed open the door. "Izzy?" he called cautiously. He saw the cake on the counter, but Izzy was no where to be found. He walked around the island, and stopped as he spotted Izzy sitting on the floor. Concern instantly creased his forehead.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, crouching in front of her and wiping a tear from her cheek.

Izzy looked up at her father and felt guilty all over again, hiding her face in her arms.

"Sweetheart, what on earth is the matter?" Horatio asked, becoming more and more concerned.

"It's the cake," she said her voice muffled by denim covered knees, "I ruined your surprise birthday cake."

Horatio looked up at the cake, but he didn't really see anything wrong with it. Sure the frosting was a little on the lumpy side, but other than that it seemed fine. "Honey, it looks fine," he said putting an arm around her, "I'm sure you did a fabulous job."

"No I didn't," Izzy said, her tearful face looking up at her father, "It tastes horrible."

"I'm sure it can't be that bad," Horatio said, pulling her to her feet, "Come one, let's try it."

"Please don't," she sniffed, "It's really bad."

"Nonsense," Horatio said, cutting himself a large piece, "You made it, so I'm sure I'll love it."

Izzy watched him closely as he lifted the fork to his mouth. The moment the cake touched Horatio's tongue, he knew something was wrong. He put on a very fake smile as he chewed. Bits of egg shell crunched between his teeth and the cake itself was rock hard. He pulled a face; he couldn't help it, the taste was just so gross.

The look on her father's face as he ate the cake was priceless. For a moment she forgot why she was crying and couldn't help but giggle at the face he was pulling. It took all the will power Horatio had in him to even swallow that bite. His eyes were literally watering as he croaked, "See, it's not that bad."

"Oh Daddy," Izzy giggled, realizing he was trying his hardest to make her feel better. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. "You didn't have to do that," she said, motioning to the plate of cake, "I didn't even swallow the bite I tried."

"Now you tell me," Horatio said, pretending to be angry.

She giggled again. "I'm really sorry about that Daddy," she said, "I tried so hard."

"I know you did," he said kissing her forehead, "And it means a lot to me that you tried. That's the first homemade birthday cake I've had in a long time."

"Next year I'll practice before I try it again," she promised with a smile.

"I'll hold you to that," he grinned.

"So," Izzy said after a moment, "What are we going to do with _that_?"

"Well," Horatio said, taking the cake in his hand, "I think it would make a lovely hood ornament, don't you?"

Izzy couldn't help but laugh. The cake may have been ruined, but it turned out to be one of the most memorable birthdays that Horatio had ever had.

**A/N: Now that you've read, please review! The next chapter is called Doppelganger. **


	9. Doppelganger

**A/N: Hello everyone! I'm finally back after a forever long break. Thanks to the few of you who reviewed! The inspiration for this chapter came from watching my cousin's dance concert last night and I couldn't wait to get it typed up. I'm no dancer, so any mistakes I made are all my lack of knowledge in this area. I had a lot of fun writing this chapter and it is proof that I actually can write a semi-short chapter! Please enjoy! **

"Izzy, come on! We're going to be late," Horatio called up the stairs. Izzy had a dance recital tonight, in which she had a solo number. Her teacher said that Isabelle was one of the most talented students she had ever had the privilege to work with. Horatio thought she was good, but of course he was a little bias.

"I'm coming Dad," Izzy called back, "I'm just having a few issues with my costume."

"Do you want some help?" Horatio asked.

"NO!" came the instant reply. Horatio had to smile; she had kept this costume a secret from him, sneaking it in and out of the house when he wasn't looking. She had designed it especially for her solo performance and she was very excited to show it off.

A few minutes passed and Horatio shifted his weight and check his watch again. Soon he heard movement from the top of the stairs.

"Presenting the one, the only Isabelle Caine!" Izzy said in her best announcer voice. She slide down the banister and jumped off gracefully at the end. She was dressed in a tan suit, with a green button up shirt underneath. Her long black hair was twisted up underneath a red wig, exactly the same shade as her father's hair. At her waist was a shiny silver badge and a fake pistol. There was no mistaking who she was dressed up to look like.

"Izzy you look..." Horatio started, but was interrupted by his daughter's waving hands.

"Wait for it Dad, wait for it," Izzy said. Then taking deep breath as if to get herself in the mood, she took out a pair of familiar sunglasses and put them on. "We...never...close," she said slowly, putting her hands on her hips and never breaking from character.

"Wow," Horatio said, clapping and laughing, "I'm impressed. But please don't tell me I look _that_ ridiculous all the time."

Izzy laughed taking off her sunglasses. "So what do you think?" she asked, spinning around to show of her outfit.

"I'm wondering how you're going to dance in that. Those suits aren't that comfortable to move in; I can't imagine dancing in them."

"Don't worry, I ditch the jacket about 30 seconds into the number and the pants were adjusted to give me more freedom of movement," Izzy explained.

"This is amazing," Horatio said fingering the fabric on the shoulder of the suit, "Where did you get the material for it? It kind of looks like..."

Izzy got a little flustered and hummed a minute before finishing her father's sentence. "Your old suit? Yeah, well that's probably because it _was_ your old suit. But you gave me permission to use it, remember?"

"I don't remember giving you permission to cut up one of my suits, "Horatio said raising an eyebrow at his daughter.

"Well you did. You were kinda half asleep when I asked, but you mumbled yes. At least I think it was yes," Izzy muttered under her breath.

Horatio smiled. "It's okay, that suit was old anyway. Who did all the alterations on it?"

"Aunt Calleigh helped me," Izzy said, "Who knew the bullet girl could sew?"

Horatio laughed, "But she just had a baby. Where on earth did she get the time to help you with your costume?"

"I promised to come and take care of Josh and baby Emily while she sewed. Most of the time Josh wasn't there, but I took good care of Emily. I changed enough diapers to last me a lifetime, though, and my favorite shirt still smells like baby puke even though I've washed it about eight times," Izzy said turning up her nose.

"Well I hope you told her thank you," Horatio said, punching Izzy lightly on the shoulder, "That was a very nice thing for her to do."

"I wasn't about to let you try to do it," Izzy grinned, "Remember what happened when you tried to reattach my bear's arm? There's a reason Melissa now refers to him as 'Stumpy'."

"Oh come on," Horatio laughed, "At least I tried."

"Yes you did," Izzy said, giving her dad a hug, "Now we'd better go before _someone_ makes us late."

Horatio smiled as he followed his daughter out to the car.

Later Horatio was seated in the auditorium of a nearby high school waiting for the performance to start. He flipped through the program and smiled proudly when he saw his daughter listed as the featured soloist. She was dancing to the song 'Secret Agent Man' by Johnny Rivers. When he had asked why she chose to dress up as his doppelganger for the number she replied, "Well they don't have a song called 'CSI Dude' and you're about as secretive as they get."

The lights dimmed and the show began. Horatio watched with mild interest as the younger girls performed, but when his daughter took the stage, everything else fell away. He had seen this dance a number of times before, but this was the big performance where it really mattered.

The music began and she was off. Horatio grinned as she pranced across the stage, acting as much as dancing. His heart started to race as she reached a point in the program where she was supposed to do a double back handspring and then end with a round off. She had never been able to land it in the practices. He crossed his fingers and watched in amazement as she completed the full set of flips and landed it perfectly. The crowd went wild and he whistled loudly. 'That's my girl,' he thought proudly.

Izzy ended the dance in the splits with her arms raised high in the air and a grin on her face. The audience gave her a standing ovation and Horatio was the first on his feet. He clapped and whistled as Izzy took her bows.

After the show, Horatio waited backstage for his daughter to come out of the dressing rooms. When she did, he gathered her in a big hug and spun her around quickly. "You did it Izzy, you totally nailed it!"

"I know!" Izzy gushed, the glitter on her cheeks sparkling, "I was so nervous going into it, but when I got to that part it just felt so right and easy, kinda like I was flying."

"You certainly amazed this proud Dad," he said handing her a huge bouquet of flowers.

"Well it was easy because I had the right inspiration," Izzy said, playing with the flowers.

"And what inspiration would that be?" Horatio asked.

"My own personal secret agent man," Izzy giggled, pulling her dad into a hug.

**A/N: After writing this chapter, I had "Secret Agent Man" stuck in my head the rest of the day, so if it's now stuck in your head my job here is finished. ;) A review might make it go away, but I'm not promising anything! **

**Next chapter: Sweet Sixteen**


	10. Sweet Sixteen

**A/N: Hello everyone! First of all let me thank you for all the wonderful reviews! It means a lot to me! **

**As for this chapter, this one doesn't start with a return to the day of the wedding; it's just a flashback. I'm running out of conversations leading into memories, but I promise I will eventually get back to the wedding! Enjoy!**

**Chapter 10: Sweet Sixteen**

_Sweet 16 today_

_She's looking like her mama a little more everyday_

_One part woman, the other part girl_

_To perfume and makeup from ribbons and curls_

Over the past few years Horatio had noticed a change in the way he and his daughter were regarded. It used to be that people saw him and recognized him from news reports, or that they focused on him because he was this tall, imposing, tough looking guy. Now when he went out with Izzy, all eyes were focused on his daughter, and he didn't like it one bit. He was very much aware of the fact that she was beautiful, and it seemed that more and more young men were noticing that same fact. When they went walking, Horatio often glared at the young men goggling at Izzy, but Izzy seemed completely oblivious to their advances. If she did notice it, she didn't give them the time of day, other than the occasional wink here and there when her father wasn't looking. Horatio was terrified by the fact that his daughter was no longer a little girl; she was growing up. She had already replaced all her Barbie dolls with makeup and cell phones, and he knew it wouldn't be too much longer before he was replaced with Friday night dates and the boyfriend of the week. And so it was with a great deal of apprehension that he approached her sixteenth birthday.

He had planned for months for this day. He wanted it to be a very memorable event for Izzy and he knew this could be the last time he would be seen as "cool" by his daughter. Horatio had gotten up early and made some last minute phone calls to make sure that everything was ready. Now all that remained was getting the birthday girl to the party.

"Izzy, are you ready yet?" Horatio called up the stairs.

"Yep, Dad, almost finished," Izzy answered, "But why are we in such a hurry? It's just us today."

"I know," Horatio said, smiling, "I just thought you'd want to make the most of your sixteenth birthday."

"All set," Izzy said as she came to the top of the stairs. Horatio's breath caught in his throat as he glimpsed what his wife must have looked like at sixteen. There was no denying that Izzy was Marisol's daughter. Izzy's hair fell in the same lazy waves and the dimpled smile was all too familiar.

"There's my girl," Horatio said with a smile as he hugged her, "Look at you all grown up."

Izzy blushed modestly and grinned, "Where are we off to today?"

"It's a surprise," Horatio smiled, pulling a piece of fabric out of his pocket, "That said, I think you're going to need this."

"A blindfold? What am I, ten?" Izzy asked.

"Just play along," Horatio said, turning her around and tying the blindfold securely around her head, "I promise it will be worth it."

"But now I can't see anything," Izzy whined.

"That's kind of the point," Horatio laughed, "Now just take my arm and I'll lead you to the car."

"It's a good thing I trust you," Izzy teased as Horatio led her from the house.

Twenty minutes later Izzy was getting restless. It seemed as if they had been driving in circles for hours. She assumed the drive would have been much more enjoyable had she been able to view the scenery.

"Are you lost?" Izzy commented after a minute, "Cause this is sure taking an awful long time. I can't exactly go ask directions for you either, since I don't know where we're going."

"We're here," Horatio announced quietly, as he pulled the car into a parking spot.

Izzy fiddled with the hem of her t-shirt as she waited for her dad to come around and open the door for her. Horatio once again took her arm and they walked a few steps forward. With her vision still impaired by the blindfold, Izzy used her other senses to explore their present location. The first thing she noticed was the smell of salt in the air. She could hear waves crashing against something, but it didn't sound like a beach exactly. She could feel the warm sun on her skin and she could hear sea birds sounding off.

"Are you going to take the blindfold off?" Izzy asked after a moment, looking in Horatio's general direction.

"Alright," Horatio said smiling and reaching for the blindfold. "Happy Birthday Izzy," he said as the blindfold fell away, revealing their destination.

Izzy's squinted her eyes as the sunlight momentarily blinded her. When the fuzziness disappeared Izzy gasped at what she saw before her. Docked just a few yards in front of her was a beautiful yacht, silver railings sparkling and colorful flags blowing in the wind. There was a large banner on the side of the vessel that read "Happy Sweet Sixteen Isabelle", and there were bunches of balloons tied in strategic places. Izzy couldn't breath for a second. This was far beyond anything she had been expecting.

"Now before you get too excited," Horatio said, cutting into Izzy's thoughts, "This is just a rental for the day; I wouldn't want to be accused of spoiling you too much."

"Is this real?" Izzy asked, still gaping at the ship.

"It is," Horatio assured her grinning, "She's yours for the day. She'll take you and your guests anywhere you want to go."

"Guests?" Izzy asked, confused.

"What's a party without a few friends? Right guys?" Horatio said, addressing the yacht with the last statement.

At this a group of people popped up from various places on deck and began singing 'Happy Birthday'. Izzy grinned as she recognized some of her friends from high school and others from her dance studio.

As soon as the song was over, the teens headed down the gangplank, led by Miss Melissa Delko herself.

"Hey Belle," Mel said, throwing her arms around her best friend, "Isn't this the greatest?"

"This is awesome!" Izzy exclaimed, "Who came up with the idea?"

"Believe it or not, your dad did," Mel said, nodding Horatio's direction, "I just helped make sure it would pass the cool test."

Izzy laughed. "It did that. Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get the party started!" she said as the teens headed back up the gangplank.

Horatio smiled as he watched his daughter. He had succeeded in making her birthday a great one, and that was all that mattered. Putting on his sunglasses, he walked into the boat and headed for the cockpit.

Eric Delko was already seated in a comfortable chair when Horatio entered the room. "Hi H," Eric said, putting away his paper and standing up.

"Hi Eric," Horatio said, giving his brother in law a one armed hug, "Thanks for coming today."

"No problem," Eric said with a laugh, "When my boss asks if I can take time off to go on a day cruise, I don't ask questions."

"Well, I appreciate it," Horatio said, turning to the navigation equipment on the boat, "First of all, I needed someone who had lots of experience with yachts and second, I didn't want to be the only adult on this party ship."

"And I might come in handy if someone tries to drown on us," Eric added.

"Well, let's hope you don't have to put those expertise to use today," Horatio said wryly.

With Eric's help, the yacht was soon headed for open water and the party started hopping. Music played loudly from some speakers that Mel had confiscated from the drama department. The open deck of the yacht was crowded with teenagers dancing and swinging to the music. Horatio wrinkled his nose as he watched Izzy dance a little too closely to one young man. Horatio had assigned the task of guest list to Mel, as he was unsure which friends to invite. He had mentioned that he'd prefer it to be an all girls party, but apparently Mel had ignored her uncle's wishes. That was nothing new. Nothing could be done now that the boys were here, so Horatio decided to let Izzy have her fun. After all, how crazy could things get with her father on board?

A few hours later Horatio and Eric were relaxing in the cockpit, playing poker with hard candy instead of chips. They had anchored the yacht less than a mile or so out and had let the party run its course. They had gone up a few times, to watch Izzy blow out the candles on her cake, and to check the status of the party, but other than that they had been making themselves scarce. They were in the middle of a very intense round of their game when Mel popped her head in.

"Hey Dad, Belle wants to head a mile or so south for a little while. Is that cool?" Mel asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah, I think we can do that," Eric said, standing and walking over to the controls. Mel disappeared around the corner as soon as the answer was given. "Hey H, you want to do a quick status check since our game has already been interrupted?"

"Sure," Horatio said, heading for the deck, "But no cheating. I'll check those cards for fingerprints when I get back if I have to." He heard Eric chuckle as he went topside.

Horatio surveyed the deck and the sprawl of teenagers still dancing and laughing. There were about 15 to 20 in all, at least 7 of which were the male variety. Currently his daughter was over by the side of the boat, laughing and talking to Mel and a couple of boys. He smiled when he saw her. It looked as though she was having the time of her life.

He adjusted his footing slightly as the boat began to move, the swaying motion changing. The teens cheered and then went back to their partying. Horatio leaned against the railing and watched the ocean for a few minutes before turning back to head down to the cockpit. He glanced over to see Izzy leaning over the edge of the boat watching something in the water with Mel on one side of her and her friend Heather on the other.

Just then the boat hit a large wave, jarring all the passengers on deck. Horatio stumbled down a few stairs, catching himself on a rail before he fell too far. He heard a scream as picked himself up. He quickly turned to look at the place where Izzy had last been standing, only to find empty space. He felt the blood freeze in his veins as he heard Melissa's panicked voice scream "Belle!"

"Izzy!" Horatio didn't even register that it was is own voice yelling as he raced to the side of the boat. "Go get Eric," he said quickly to Izzy's friend Brittany. Brittany took off towards the cockpit as Horatio reached Mel.

"Uncle H, she..she fell off the boat," Mel stuttered in her panicked state, "She hit her head on the side of the boat. I haven't seen her surface yet."

Horatio scanned the water, searching desperately for some sign of his daughter. He noticed the engine had been cut and a few moments later Eric was at his side.

"Where is she H?" Eric asked, watching the waves.

"I don't see her. She shouldn't be..wait a minute!" Horatio said suddenly spotting Belle's colorful t-shirt, "There she is!"

Eric dove off the side of the boat the moment he got a visual on Belle. Taylor and Garret, two boys from the party, dove in right after. Horatio hurried to the ladder leading up from the water, straining his neck to see where his daughter was. His heart was pounding a million miles a hour. He couldn't loose her, not now, not after all they'd been through together. Minutes ticked by as the swimmers raced towards the still form.

Eric reached Belle first. She was face down in the water and completely limp. "Come on Belle, don't do this!" Eric yelled as he flipped her over. He began to pull her along after him, heading back to the yacht with the other two boys close by.

"She's not breathing H," Eric yelled as he got closer.

Horatio's heart stopped. It was Marisol happening all over again. 'Not this time,' he thought, gritting his teeth.

The instant that Eric brought Belle close enough, Horatio leaned down and pulled her out of the water. He picked her up and carried her to the sturdy deck. Laying her down, he began performing CPR, trying to get her to breathe again.

"Eric, get a medical helicopter out here right now!" he yelled over his shoulder in between compressions. "Come on, come on! Stay with me Izzy!" Horatio said, pleading. He breathed into her mouth and continued the chest compressions. He repeated this over and over, his hands shaking and the adrenaline flowing.

Finally he heard a cough and Izzy moved underneath his hands. He helped her roll over as she coughed up sea water.

"Izzy, sweetheart, I'm right here," he said, voice shaking as he rubbed her back.

When the coughing subsided he moved so her head was in his lap. Relief flooded his heart when she looked up at him with hazy eyes and gave him a weak smile. "Daddy," she said quietly.

"Hi Angel," he said, tears in his eyes. She was alive. There was a large cut and bump on her forehead where she had hit the boat on the way over, and it was still oozing blood, but she was going to be okay.

"Some party, huh?" she croaked with a small smile.

"With you, nothing can be simple, can it?" he laughed, "Eric, get us to shore, and Melissa please bring me some blankets and towels, whatever you can find." Izzy was shivering and he was afraid that she might go into shock.

Several minutes later they reached land. There were boats and camera crews everywhere, trying to get the scoop on this dramatic rescue. A news helicopter circling the area had caught the whole thing on tape. Horatio had asked the rest of the guests to back off and give Belle some room. He had her sitting on one of the couches, wrapped in blankets.

"Sweetheart, how are you doing?" he asked.

"Besides being half drowned, you mean?" Izzy asked, showing a little more life than she had when she first came to, "I think you broke one of my ribs doing CPR."

"As long as it saved your life," Horatio said, taking her hand, "Nothing else matters"

When they docked, Horatio carried her off the boat and set her gently on a stretcher. The paramedics decided they wanted to take her to the hospital as a precautionary measure and so two hours later Izzy found herself in a hospital bed, an IV in her arm and a oxygen meter on her finger. Horatio came into the room from talking with the doctors and smiled when he saw that she was awake; she had fallen asleep in the ambulance on the way there.

"Hi Daddy," Izzy said as her father gave her a hug. He pulled away when she flinched.

"Sorry, I forgot about the broken rib," he said, sitting down next to her.

"It's really broken then?" Izzy asked. When she got a nod in the affirmative she sighed, "I can't believe you broke my rib."

"It was either that or let you die," Horatio said, smiling, "And I wasn't about to let that happen."

"I could have gone without the mouth to mouth," Izzy teased, sticking out her tongue. Horatio just shrugged.

After a moment Izzy became serious. "You saved my life Dad, thank you. It was the best birthday present I've ever gotten. You truly are my hero."

Both got a little misty eyed as Horatio leaned in and said, "I would do anything for you, Izzy. I love you that much. I'm really sorry your birthday got ruined though."

"It's alright," Izzy said, "At least I'll never forget my sixteenth birthday."

Just then Mel rushed into the room. "Hey check this out guys!" she said, flipping on the TV. The screen was filled with footage of the boat and the heroic rescue by Eric. It flashed to scenes of Horatio performing CPR and then to scenes of Izzy being loaded into the ambulance. The footage was on a repeating reel and the news anchors were discussing the "Sweet Sixteen Rescue".

"It's on every channel!" Mel said, flipping through to prove it, "You're the hottest thing in Miami right now Belle!"

"Oh no!" Izzy moaned, putting her face in her hands.

"I've gotta go, I'm being interviewed by the channel 4 news in a few. Get feeling better Belle!" Mel said as she raced back out the door.

"Dad, why does this always happen to me?" Belle whined, her face still buried in her hands, "I was born with the Miami sun in my hair and saltwater in my veins and I can't even keep my balance in a stupid boat? I'm never going to be able to live this down!"

"Oh sweetheart," Horatio said, wrapping an arm around his daughter, "With time this will all go away and no one will remember. You'll see."

"You're right," Izzy conceded grudgingly, "But it still makes me feel stupid."

Horatio knew her grumblings were now in good humor and so he felt he could tease her a little more. "You shouldn't feel stupid sweetheart, it happens to the best of us."

"Remind me of the last time _you_ fell off of a boat," Izzy said.

"Good point," Horatio agreed with a smile, "But trust me, soon this will all be a distant memory."

"I sure hope so," Izzy said, "I'm never going to get a date if all the guys think I'm this uncoordinated geek."

"On second thought, maybe I'll keep that tape of the rescue coverage, to show to all your potential boyfriends. It would make for a great conversation piece, don't you think?"

TBC

**A/N: Can't you just see Horatio being this protective father when it comes to his daughter dating? lol I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

**Next chapter: Pomp and Circumstance**


	11. Pomp and Circumstance

**A/N: Hello once again my friends! Izzy's back and does she have a story for you! First I would like to thank you for all of your reviews! To the ones I didn't respond to, I love you all and thank you so much for the positive feedback. big hugs**

**Now this chapter takes place about a year after **_**The Importance of Being a Caine**_**. Belle and her father have already gotten through their issues concerning Marisol and everyone is on the same page. This has no current scene leading into it, but enjoy it for what it is!**

_Trying her wings out in a great big world_

"Hey Dad," Izzy said, walking into the living room, fiddling with her hair, "Can you help me put a bobby pin in the back? I can't quite get it where I want."

"Sure sweetheart," Horatio said, standing and walking over to his daughter. He took the bobby pin from her hand and used it to anchor the graduation cap in place. "There, perfect," he said with a smile looking her over.

Today Izzy was graduating from Via Fuego High School. She was dressed in a white graduation gown, and the white cap was perched on her head, the black, white, and red tassel swinging gently with her every move. Her hair was hanging loosely down her back in gentle waves, and a grin on her face let him know she was proud of herself for making it this far.

"So are we ready to go?" she asked, after checking her hat one more time.

"If you are," he smiled, offering her his arm, which she took.

When they arrived at the events center where the ceremony was to take place, there were people everywhere. After finding a spot to park, they walked towards the doors.

"Do you think Mel is here yet?" Horatio asked.

Izzy laughed. "She's practically been living here for the past few days to make sure everything was ready. I'm sure she's here." Mel was the senior class president at Via Fuego, and had been up to her eyeballs in preparations for today's event. There was little doubt that things would turn out well today, Mel would see to it, that was for certain.

Horatio kissed Izzy on the cheek as they parted ways; Izzy headed to the backstage area and Horatio to his seat in the auditorium.

When he arrived, he was greeted by members of his CSI family; Eric and Natalia were there, Natalia's eyes already a little puffy from tears. Their three boys were there as well, and none looked pleased to be so. On the other side of the Delkos sat Alexx and Frank; both waved as Horatio took his seat. Horatio had only been seated for a moment when the Wolfes arrived, Calleigh immediately gathering him into a hug.

"Can you believe today's the day?" she asked, pulling back, "My two little nieces are graduating!"

"Crazy, isn't it?" Horatio said with a smile, turning to the other members of the Wolfe family. Josh gave Horatio a high five and Emily hugged his leg. Horatio quickly gathered baby Kelsi into his arms and tickled her, making her giggle her special "Uncle H giggle". Kelsi was only nine months old, but she clearly had a favorite uncle and she was always in her Uncle H's arms.

"I don't understand it," Ryan huffed, sitting down and putting his arm around his wife, "I can't get even a smile out of her and yet you have her giggling just by holding her. It's not fair."

"Oh hush Ryan," Calleigh laughed, smacking him in the stomach, "She loves you. She just thinks you're a dork."

"Oh that makes me feel better," Ryan said, rolling his eyes and pulling Emily onto his lap.

They chatted amongst themselves until the music started and the graduates began their march into the room. Horatio, who had handed Kelsi back to Ryan, watched for his daughter and waved when she finally made her appearance. She grinned when she saw her family, and winked in her father's general direction.

Soon the graduates took their seats and the program began. Melissa took center stage and welcomed everyone, introducing the valedictorian and other special people seated on the stand. A few people spoke and then the school's choir sang "For Good" from the Broadway Musical _Wicked_. As Horatio listened to the words, he realized that the song spoke about him and Izzy to an extent. She had completely changed his life, in every detail. He had always assumed he would spend his life devoted to his calling as a CSI, but then Izzy had come along and taught him so much about loving and living for the moment. He had been changed for the better because of her.

After the song was over, Melissa stood up to give her graduation address. Horatio had to smile as the water works turned on next to him. He handed Natalia a tissue before turning back to the podium.

"I've thought a lot about what I would say today," Melissa began, her talent for public speaking shining through, "And as I did, I thought about Robert Frost's poem _The Road Not Taken_. In the poem he talks about coming upon a fork in the road and trying to decided what path to take. One path is worn and often traveled, the other one almost ignored. He chooses the lesser path and in the end he says that it made all the difference in his life. We too are on a path like the one he described. We have the road behind us that has been paved by our accomplishments and our disappointments. That road has helped us become who we are today. But I wish to remind you about the path yet ahead of us. We are the future. We are going to be the ones who can defend our nation, progress in every area, and build a better world. I have no doubt that the path less traveled by is the path that we are meant to take. We are no ordinary teenagers, and we will be extraordinary adults. So to the graduating class of Via Fuego High School I say, let us remember what we are capable of and let the future shine with our stories! Congratulations! We made it!"

The audience went wild. Eric whistled loudly and Natalia clapped and wiped away tears at the same time. Horatio too showed his pride in his niece as she sat back down. The principle took the stand and _Pomp and Circumstance _began to play as the graduates began their walk to the stage. Horatio felt a lump in his throat was he watched Izzy walk across that stage with confidence and grace. Melissa had been right, Izzy was no ordinary girl; she was his everything. When they announced her name, they included the fact that she was graduating with honors and a diploma of merit. Horatio stood and whistled as Izzy took her diploma with a grin. As she reached the edge of the stage where all the class officers were gathered to greet their fellow classmates, Melissa threw her arms around Belle and spun her around, both of them laughing.

After all the names were read, Melissa again took the stand and led the graduates in the moving of their tassels. "May I present to you, the graduating class of Via Fuego High School!" Mel yelled into the mic as the caps were launched into the air.

The celebration moved outside as the graduates went to greet their family members and other friends. Horatio was waiting with his hands in his pockets when Mel and Izzy finally emerged from the crowd.

"Daddy!" Izzy said, hurrying over to Horatio. He pulled her into a hug, spinning her around.

"I am so proud of you," he whispered in her ear.

A few feet away, Mel was getting her fair share of hugs from her mom (who was still a little weepy) and her dad. Her brothers stood to the side and watched.

"I guess you deserve a hug," Jordan said at last, walking over to his big sister and squeezing her, "That was a good speech by the way. Me and Bry were betting you'd choke halfway through."

"You two," Mel said rolling her eyes, shoving Jordan and Bryan.

"Well I think you did a really good job," Evan piped up. As the youngest Delko, he didn't have quite the mean streak that his older brothers did.

"Thanks little brother," Melissa said, giving him a genuine smile.

"Ooo you two, come here," Calleigh's voice came floating through the crowd as she made her way over to the cousins. She wrapped her arms around both Mel and Belle, laughing when their tassels got tangled together. "I am so proud of you guys!" she said stepping back.

"Thanks Aunt Calleigh," the girls said in unison.

After hugs from Ryan and the young Wolfes, Natalia walked over to Mel and put her hands on Mel's shoulders. "I have a surprise for you," she said, "Look over there."

"Aunt Anya?! Aunt Cristine?!" Mel yelled as she raced over to her two aunts. Her mother's sisters lived in California, so Mel didn't get to see them all that often, but they were her favorite aunts and them being here meant a lot to her.

While everyone was distracted by Mel, Izzy heard a soft voice over her shoulder. "Hey there honors girl."

Izzy flipped around to come face to face with her Aunt Yelina. "Aunt Yelina!" Izzy smiled, pulling her aunt in, "Wow, I thought you were in China on that private investigator's conference."

"I was but I decided seeing my niece graduate was more important," Yelina said with a smile. Yelina and Izzy weren't terribly close, but they were family, and to the Caines, family was everything.

"Do I get a hug too?" came a second deeper voice to her right.

"Ray!" Izzy said embracing her cousin, "I never would have expected to see you here!"

"Well I'm full of surprises!" he said with a wink. He had been Izzy's protector when she was a little girl, kind of like an older brother in a sense. They had drifted apart over the years, but they could always count on each other.

They talked for a short while, until Yelina had to leave to catch her flight. As they were leaving, two familiar faces came through the crowd. The man had once been tall, but was now stooped over and used a cane to get around. His brown hair had long since turned gray, but his eyes showed a youthful sparkle. The woman next to him was short and her once black hair was snow white. The lines on her face showed her age, but never diminished her beauty. Her beauty had lived on in a woman Horatio loved with his whole heart.

"Abuela! Abuelo!" Izzy called running over to give her grandparents a hug.

"Oh Isabelle!" Sonya Delko smiled as she embraced her granddaughter, "Just look at you! You are your mother's daughter, that much is certain!"

"She is absolutely right," Ivan Delko said as Izzy's arms wrapped around him, "I couldn't be prouder to call you my granddaughter!"

Horatio watched this scene with a smile on his face. He used to wonder if Izzy would ever grow to know her mother's parents. After Horatio had married Marisol, the Delkos had disowned Marisol and refused to speak to her. They were furious that she would marry without the traditions of the family and they hated Horatio. They saw him as a hypocrite who wanted nothing more than to play with their little girl's heart before tossing her away when things got rough. It had broken Marisol's heart to have her parents behave like this; family was as important to the Delkos as it was to the Caines.

It had taken Isabelle to bridge the gap. As soon as the Delkos realized that their granddaughter might grow up without them around, they began to accept Horatio and that fact that he truly loved their daughter. There had been perfect acceptance the day Izzy was born.

That acceptance was shattered the night Marisol died. Her parents blamed Horatio for her death, as much as he blamed himself. They refused to have anything to do with their son-in-law and grandchild. Surprisingly it had been Mel that had melted their hearts this time. One day when she was about 7 she had gone over to their house and asked them why they didn't love Izzy the same way they loved her. Melissa's complete innocence had been enough to soften their hearts. It hadn't happened all at once, but gradually Horatio and Belle had been accepted and became family.

Ivan came over to Horatio and clapped him on the shoulder. "You've done a fine job raising my daughter's little girl," he said, "I couldn't have asked for anyone better."

That simple statement let Horatio know that he was completely forgiven. "Thank you sir," Horatio said smiling, "But I had a good start to build on. Marisol taught me everything I know."

"She was a bright one, my Marisol," Ivan said with pride, "And that little girl over there is proof thatshe won't be forgotten."

"Never," Horatio promised.

Soon most of the crowd had dispersed. Horatio had been waiting outside while Izzy returned her graduation gown. He was leaned up against the car when he saw her come out of the building, Mel by her side. The purple dress that Izzy was wearing made her eyes sparkle and she looked so grown up.

"Hey Dad," Izzy said when she reached him, "A bunch of people are headed over to a party on the beach. We're going to have a cook out and we've got permission to do some fireworks. I'm not sure what time I'll be home."

"That's fine," Horatio said, "If you need me, just call me. Be careful."

"That would take all the fun out of it," she smirked, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

He sighed as he watched her walk away. After today Izzy was an adult, with her own life, her own friends and her own agenda. She was walking away from her childhood, and although it hurt Horatio terribly, he knew that it was her time. She was ready for whatever the world had in store for her. With this thought, he put on his sunglasses and drove away, knowing that he had succeeded.

It was nearly 6:30 in the morning by the time Izzy made it back home. The party had been a lot of fun. Dancing and laughing had taken up the majority of the night, and watching the sun rise with her best friends put the cap on her last 18 years nicely. It had been hard to say goodbye to some of them, not knowing if she would ever seen them again, but she also knew that this was just a new beginning.

She was just about to flop onto her bed and fall into a deep sleep, when she noticed an envelope on her pillow. Confused, she picked it up and looked at it. It was addressed to her in a hand she didn't recognize. Curious, she broke the seal and took out a collection of papers. One quick glance at the signature at the bottom and she was wide awake. She sank to the bed and began to read the letter, drinking in every word.

_My Angel Isabelle,_

_So you are finally graduated from High School. Congratulations! I wish I could have been there to see it all. You know Izzy, a part of me wishes that you never have to read this letter, but at the same time, I know that this is the only way you will ever hear from me._

_First of all I want to tell you how much I love you! You are my whole world and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't thank my lucky stars for you and your father. I hope your dad has told you our story by now, but I wanted you to hear it from my point of view._

_When I was diagnosed with cancer I felt all my dream slipping away. Everything I'd ever wanted seemed so far out of reach. That was until I met Horatio. He changed my world and that is the greatest gift I have ever been given. Once I found him, he taught me how to hope and dream again. I found myself believing that I could accomplish anything. And then when he asked me to marry him, I felt like I was invincible. I have never once regretted taking those vows. He brought me a freedom and a joy that I didn't think was possible._

_Horatio and I decided to stop my cancer treatments in the hopes that we would be able to have children. The doctors warned us that it wasn't a wise decision, but it was far more important to me to become a mother. When I found out that I was pregnant with you, I could hardly believe it. My dreams were now a reality._

_Those dreams were not as perfect as they would seem. No one else knows what I am about to tell you. It is up to you to decide what to do with this information. When I was about four months along, the doctor informed me that my cancer was coming back. He said I had two options: 1- I could abort the baby and begin treatments right away and have a reasonable chance of survival, or 2- I could continue the pregnancy_, _hoping that the baby didn't abort naturally, and that after the baby was born I could start treatments again. The doctor warned me that if I chose option 2 there was a good chance that no treatment would work on me and that I would most certainly die. I thought it over, but there was really no question in my mind. I wanted you more than anything and nothing was going to stand in my way. I don't tell you this to make you feel guilty about your existence, I tell you this to help you understand how much you mean to me. I never want to you be sad about my decision, because I have never regretted it. Just having you with me for whatever time we have together it payment enough. The doctors said that you were a miracle; none of them expected the pregnancy to go to term, but here you are. The first time I held you in my arms was like a dream come true. I loved you more deeply than I ever thought possible and you made me the happiest woman in the world._

_About a month after you were born I went back to the doctor for a check up. He gave me news that I had been prepared for: the cancer was back and more aggressive than ever before_. _He told me that treatment would only delay the inevitable, the cancer was going to kill me. Now it is only a matter of time. The doctors say I could have anywhere from six weeks to 5 years to live, it's hard to tell for sure. The point is, I know I'm not going to be there for you your whole life. I'm never going to see you go on your first date, graduate, go to college. I'm not going to be there when you get married. I have come to accept that. I may not like it, but that's the way things are. _

_I'm not dwelling on that fact, however. I'm focusing on each moment that I spend with you because each moment is precious. Even if I die tomorrow, I'll be grateful for the short time we've had together. Even when I'm gone, I'll never be far away. Nothing can keep me from seeing you grow up and I will be there ever step of the way, I promise you that. When ever you are lonely, just remember I'm right by your side, always._

_Now some words of advice because I can't deliver them any other way. First of all, remember who you are. You are a Caine, and a Delko; both are something to be extremely proud of. Your father is the bravest man I know and he should be your example in life. No one should make you feel like you are less than who you are. You can accomplish anything._

_You are coming to that time in your life where you'll want to fall in love and find a man to spend the rest of your life with. Don't be afraid to take your time and keep looking. You may feel like you need to be worthy of him, but make sure he is also worthy of you. Don't settle for anything less that what you want. Sometimes love is worth the wait, just look at your father and me. Don't jump into anything because you feel like you have too, be your own person. Most of all, love yourself and everything else will fall into place._

_My time is short and I must close now, but I want you to remember to dream big and never let anything get in the way of you achieving those dreams. You have the makings of greatness in you; show the world what you are capable of. I believe in you, I always have. I love you so much Izzy, never doubt that. Know that I wish I could be there with you, but also know that you are never without me. I'll always be there watching over you. _

_I love you Isabelle._

_Mom _

Izzy let the emotions flood her heart. She smiled through the tears as she imagined angel arms wrapped around her in a fierce embrace. This was without a doubt the best present she'd ever received. Sitting in the silence for a long while, she let the words and emotions roll over her. She cried and she laughed, but most of all she felt loved.

"I love you Mom," she said to the silence surrounding her, knowing that she was being heard.

**A/N: (passes out tissues)(sniff) I love that scene. Even though** **Marisol is dead, she will always live on in the hearts of those who love her. sigh Okay, I'm under control again. Please review! Bonus points to anyone who can spot the CSI Miami quote in this story! ;)**

**Next chapter: Gavin's Girl. That's right folks! You finally get to meet Gavin! (does a little happy dance)**


	12. Gavin's Girl

**A/N: (dodges hypergolic's whip) Alright, alright I know this is a few days late, but I finally finished the next chapter. Would I be in better graces if I said that I brought three chapters instead of one this time? ;) Actually it was supposed to be one chapter, but then I got a little carried away, so it soon evolved into three chapters called Gavin's Girl I, II, and III respectively. This is the story of how Belle met Gavin, and how things evolved into them heading for the altar. Enjoy my friends! **

_All the precious time_

_Like the wind, the years go by_

Belle sat on her bed, having a staring contest with the wedding gown hanging in the doorway. There were so many emotions running through her; excitement, joy, nervousness, anticipation, the list could go on and on. One thing she was not feeling was doubt. She had only one bout of cold feet since Gavin had proposed, but that was far behind her now. Ironically it had been her father that had calmed those fears and encouraged her to go on. She had never been so sure about anything in her life before. This was what she wanted.

She stood and fingered the fabric of the gown. Smiling, she thought of all that had happened to get her to this point today. She'd had her share of boyfriends over the years; with her wit, charm and beauty she had rarely been alone. But none of those old boyfriends had made her feel the way that Gavin did.

Her eyes wandered to the nightstand by her bed where a picture sat. The photograph had been taken just a few months ago at a baseball game Gavin had taken her too. They were both wearing matching jerseys and had baseball caps pulled down over their eyes. They were grinning in victory as Belle held up a pop fly she had caught. Belle laughed at the memory. Baseball had always played a big role in their relationship. It had been that way ever since the day they met. After all, had it not been for a rogue baseball, they never would have fallen in love...

* * *

"It's the bottom of the ninth, the bases are loaded and there is only one more out to go. The Bullfrogs send their cleanup batter to the plate. But is she any match for the Panther's prized pitcher, Melissa "Hardball" Delko?"

"I don't know Tom, the Bullfrog's batter is none other than Isabelle "Home Run" Caine. She's been at the top of her game this season, batting more home runs than any other female baseball player in the nation."

"That may be true Mark, but Melissa's had a no hit season, with the exception of the preseason game against the Bullfrogs. I'll bet that Miss Delko continues her record and becomes..."

"Will you turn off the commentary and just pitch the ball?!" Belle said, swinging the bat off her shoulder.

Melissa rolled her eyes at her cousin. "You take all the fun out of everything B," she whined, "What, don't you like my announcer voices?"

"They're cute and everything, but I want to hit some balls, not listen to you talk about yourself for hours," Belle teased.

"Hey, I gave you some props too," Mel said, grinding the baseball into her mitt.

It was a lazy summer day and Belle and Melissa were at a local baseball diamond taking turns batting and pitching. They did this pretty frequently; both girls had played on the softball team in high school and enjoyed any version of the sport immensely. Now they just fooled around with it to let off steam every once and a while.

Belle was dressed in her high school softball jersey and capris, her long black hair in a ponytail pulled through the loop of a NY Yankees baseball cap. Mel, on the other hand wore her jersey with shorts and had her Chicago Cubs cap on backwards, the bill of the hat shading the bun on the back on her head.

"Can we just get on with the pitching?" Belle pleaded again.

"Oh alright," Mel grumbled, "The pitcher winds up and lets her fly." Mel threw the ball with everything she had in her.

Belle watched the ball, almost in slow motion as it hurtled towards her. She swung the bat hard and was rewarded with a sound THWACK as the ball connected. Dropping the bat she watched the ball soar into the sky.

"Holy Hannah," Mel said, shading her eyes as she watched the ball, "That was some hit Belle. But I think the ball's gonna hit..."

Belle saw what Mel was talking about a second later. A man was riding his bike right into the path of the ball.

"Sir! Watch..." Belle started, but it was too late. Before she could get another word out, both girls heard a resounding CRACK as the ball hit the man in the head with enough force to knock both him and his bike to the ground. He lay absolutely still, his bike's wheel still spinning slowly as it lay on its side.

"You killed him," came Mel's almost whispered conclusion.

"I better not have," Belle said running towards the still man with Mel on her heels.

"Sir! Sir!" Belle said, kneeling next to the man and shaking his shoulder gently.

"You killed him!" Melissa repeated, panicked, "What can they charge you with? Reckless homicide with a baseball? Oh my, I'm an accomplice! Belle, we're gonna go to jail for the rest of our lives! What are we going to do?!"

"For one, QUIT PANICKING!" Belle half yelled, "You're making it worse! Go get your water bottle; we'll see if we can revive him."

While Mel took off at a sprint towards the baseball diamond, Belle turned her attention back to the man on the grass. He looked young, perhaps a year or two older than Belle herself. He had short dark blond hair that was spiked in the front slightly, and he had a dimple in one cheek. There was a large lump forming on his temple where the ball had connected with his head.

"Please wake up," Belle murmured fervently over and over again, "Please oh please wake up."

She was startled a moment later when he began to stir. His eyes blinked open and Belle saw that they were an amazingly deep blue. He looked at her with confusion for a moment before smiling slightly.

"Am I dead?" he asked hazily.

Belle sighed with relief. "No," she answered with a smile, "I'm afraid you just got knocked out."

Before he could say anything else Mel rushed over and dumped a full bottle of cold water on his head. "That should do the trick," she panted, trying to catch her breath.

"Good going moron," Belle said glaring at Mel, "He was already awake."

"Oops," Melissa said sheepishly.

"It's alright. I was feeling a bit warm anyway. What was that thing that hit me?" he asked, bringing a hand up to touch the sticky lump on his head.

"Well, it would have been a home run had you not gotten in the way," Melissa responded.

Belle glared at her. Sometimes she wondered if Mel had any tact at all.

"That was quite some hit," the man said, "Which one of you is the talented batter?"

"That would be me," Belle blushed, "My name is Belle by the way. That mouth over there is my best friend Melissa."

He chuckled lightly, before grimacing and holding his head. "My name is Gavin."

He tried to sit up, but Belle pushed him back down. "I think you've got a concussion at the very least. You ought to stay still for a while. Mel, go get your car, I want to take him to the hospital to get him checked out."

As Melissa ran off, Gavin turned back to Belle. "I'm alright, honest," he protested, "It's just a little bump. I'll be fine by tomorrow."

"All the same, I'd really prefer to get you checked out," Belle said, finally allowing him to sit up, "I feel horrible about it."

"Don't feel bad," Gavin said with a smile, "After all, it's not every day that a beautiful girl beans me in the head with a baseball."

Belle blushed and ducked her head. Just then Mel pulled up in her lime green Volkswagen Bug.

"I'm telling you this really isn't necessary," Gavin protested as Belle helped him to his feet.

"I insist," Belle said, helping him towards the car, "It's the least I could do."

Belle put him in the back seat and climbed in after him as Mel attached the mangled bike to the back of her car.

The ride to the hospital was short and relatively uneventful. Soon Gavin was taken into a room and Belle and Melissa collapsed into two armchairs to wait.

"That was without a doubt the dumbest thing we've ever done," Mel said dramatically, "I mean can you imagine what would have happened to us if he had died? My dad would have killed me and then dug me back up so I could be prosecuted, not to mention what your dad would have done.."

Mel continued in her endless jabber, but Belle wasn't really paying attention. She was thinking about Gavin. Call it the Florence Nightingale effect, call it pure adrenaline insanity, there was something about Gavin that made her feel giddy inside. 'Knock it off Belle,' she chided herself, 'You nearly killed him!'

A few moments later a nurse came out. "Are you Belle?" the nurse asked, looking at a clipboard and then back down at the girls.

"I am," Belle said.

"A Mr. Gavin Matthews wishes to speak to you," the nurse said, "If you'll follow me this way."

Belle gave a nervous glance Mel's direction, but followed the nurse down the hall. The nurse pointed to a room and Belle pushed open the door silently. Inside, Gavin was sitting on an exam table, and ice pack held up to his head. He smiled when he saw her come in.

"How are you feeling?" Belle asked, walking over to him.

"After the giant painkiller and this ice pack, I'm feeling much better," Gavin assured her with a smile.

"The nurse says you have a small concussion," Belle commented in the awkward silence.

"Yeah, but it's nothing I won't get over," Gavin promised, "I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

"Me? Why would there be something wrong with me?" Belle asked confused.

"I would think that nearly killing someone might be pretty traumatic," he laughed.

Belle giggled, increasing the grin on Gavin's face. "Honestly I'm really sorry about that. I think your bike is a total loss too. It got banged up pretty bad when you toppled off of it. I wish there was something I could do to make it up to you," she said looking up at him.

"I think there is something you could do," Gavin said after a moment, "Have dinner with me a week from today, say seven o'clock?"

"Are you asking me on a date?" Belle asked, totally blown away by this turn of events.

"Yeah, I guess I am," Gavin said with a smile.

"Well, I don't know. I mean we just met and..."

"And you totally mangled my bike and my good looks," Gavin interrupted, motioning to his head with a grin, "I think you owe me."

Belle smiled. "Alright," she relented, "A week from today. You have yourself a date Mr. Matthews."

"I look forward to it," he grinned.

"Can I give you a ride home?" Belle asked after exchanging phone numbers.

"No thank you, my room mates are on their way now," Gavin said, "I appreciate the offer though."

"Okay, I'll see you next week then," Belle said with a smile, turning to the door.

"Can't wait," Gavin said just as she closed the door.

* * *

Horatio fixed his bowtie in the mirror by the front door. He had never liked the confining nature of a tuxedo, but he would do anything for his daughter on her wedding day. He looked down at his watch; they still had some time before they had to be to the church. He wandered into the living room and began flipping through a photo album that was sitting on the coffee table. He smiled as he flipped through her life; birthday parties, school pictures, Izzy Days, BBQs, camp outs, it was all there. About a year and a half ago, Gavin had started sneaking his way into the photo album. There were pictures of Belle and Gavin at sporting events, on the beach, family parties; Gavin had become a permanent member of the Caine family.

Horatio smiled as he thought of the day he first heard about the man that had stolen his little girl's heart...

* * *

Horatio sat at the kitchen table working out his finances when he heard a certain car pull up. A moment later he heard voices coming to towards the back door. The door swung open and two teenage girls came in.

"...Isabelle Caine, I can't believe you!" Mel was saying, as she shut the door, "How is it that you are so lucky? I mean if I nearly killed someone, I certainly wouldn't be getting a date out of it! And yet the..."

"Wipe you feet," Horatio said, cutting into the chatter.

Mel and Belle turned back to the rug at the door and wiped their feet, Horatio's interruption never breaking the flow of Melissa's words. Horatio rolled his eyes; the girls may be nineteen now and in their first year of college, but they could still make messes like no other.

Mel plopped down in a chair next to Horatio, while Belle went to put the bats and gloves away. "Uncle H, I'll never understand your daughter," Mel commented.

"What did she do now Melissa?" Horatio asked, not turning his focus from the numbers in front of him.

"She nearly killed someone and she got a date out of it! A DATE Uncle Horatio!"

This brought full attention on Horatio's part. "Oh really," he said as Belle walked back into the room, "Do tell."

Mel launched into her dramatic replay of the day's events, Belle pushing in every now and again to make sure that the facts were right. "And that's how you get a date out of a mangled bike and a line drive," Mel concluded some minutes later.

"That is quite the story," Horatio said with a chuckle, "But promise me you'll be careful Belle."

"Of course Daddy," Belle said smiling, "And if he tries anything, I'll try my karate out on him."

"Of that I have no doubt," Horatio laughed.

As the week progressed, and Horatio had time to talk to Belle one on one about Gavin, he was surprised to see the enthusiasm in her eyes. Belle was not one to jump into a relationship or to spend her life on a crush, so Horatio knew this thing with Gavin had to be serious. He just hadn't realized it would lead him to having a son-in-law.

* * *

While Horatio reminisced over photo albums, Belle was upstairs putting on her dress. She looked at herself in the full length mirror and liked what she saw. Her hair and makeup weren't done yet, that would be Aunt Calleigh and Mel's responsibility when they got to the church, but she still thought she looked beautiful. The gown was strapless and the bodice was embroidered and beaded lightly. The skirt was full and poofy, reaching all the way to the ground; Belle called it her princess skirt. Calleigh had said that she looked like an angel the first time she saw Belle in it.

Belle grinned and spun around, letting the gown billow out around her. She laughed with pure excitement. The butterflies in her stomach were all part of the fun. She remembered that her first date with Gavin had felt a lot like this. She giggled as she thought back to that night almost two years ago...

* * *

Belle was up in her room getting ready for the big night. She was a little nervous, but terribly excited at the thought of seeing him again. She took one last glance in the mirror; the teal blue summer dress was casual enough to be fun, but nice enough that she hoped it would make a very good second impression. She had lightly curled her hair, and her makeup set off her eyes beautifully.

She waltzed down the stairs to find her dad sitting in the living room, facing the door, with his pistol in his hands, carefully cleaning it. Belle rolled her eyes.

"Daddy, you're not going to pull the shotgun threat on Gavin, are you?" Belle pleaded, "I'm not in high school anymore."

Horatio laughed. "I did this on your first date and I'm going to do it on your last. I can't let the guys think they can hurt you and get away with it, can I?"

"Fine, I'll just wait for him on the porch. I love you Daddy," she smiled, going over to give him a kiss on the cheek, "I'll call you if I'm going to be late. Bye."

"Bye Angel," he said as she shut the door behind her.

Belle sat on the front porch swing for only a few moments before a red Honda Civic pulled up in front of the house. She stood with a smile as Gavin got out of the car and walked towards her.

"Wow," he said when he reached her, "I thought you looked beautiful before, but now..."

"Thank you," she grinned, "Shall we?"

"Of course," he answered, offering her his arm. He opened the car door for her and helped her inside. While she waited for him to walk around to his side, Belle looked back up at the house and smiled when she saw her father peeking out through the blinds. She blew him a kiss to let him know she knew he was watching. Gavin got in the car and they pulled away.

Conversation came easily to the duo in the Civic. Normally Belle had to really work at it, but it felt as if she had known Gavin for years. They talked about anything and everything as they drove to the seaside restaurant where they were to have dinner.

After they had been seated and their orders taken, conversation resumed until it was interrupted by the arrival of their food. After a few bites Belle looked up at Gavin and asked, "So you said you're going to school...what are you studying?"

"I'm Pre-med, actually," Gavin said, "I'm hoping to become a pediatrician."

"Oh really?" Belle asked, surprised by such an ambitious course of study.

"Yeah," Gavin smiled, "I love working with kids and besides, I really want to make a difference in the world. What about you Miss Isabelle? What do you want to do with your life?"

"I'm afraid my choice is a little less rigorous than yours," she admitted, "I want to become a dance teacher. Dancing is my passion and I'd love to share it with my students. I love working with kids too."

"Well that's one more thing we have in common," Gavin said, pretending to put another tally mark on the table beside him, "I believe that makes an even hundred."

"What else could there be?" Belle laughed, pretending to think hard.

"My favorite ice cream flavor is mint..." Gavin began as their game continued.

After dinner they walked back to the car, laughing about some private joke they shared. Gavin turned to look at her before saying, "You know I think I'm having to much fun to have this night end so soon. I wasn't planning on doing this, but what would you think about going dancing somewhere?"

"You actually dance?" Belle asked, "And I mean more than just wiggling around on the dance floor."

"My mom always believed that guys should know five things to be a perfect gentleman. Ballroom dancing happens to be one of those five things," Gavin explained, "So yes, I know how to dance."

"Well isn't that delightful," Belle grinned, "One more thing we have in common. What are the other four things she taught you?" she asked as he helped her into the car.

"Only one item a date my dear," Gavin said, leaning his arms on her open window, "You'll have to see me again to find out the rest."

Belle grinned to herself as he walked around the car. This was perfect.

The nightclub Gavin chose was more upscale than most and definitely a lot of fun. The two took to the dance floor like they were born to dance. Gavin led Belle though cha-chas, mambos, tangos, foxtrots, quicksteps, and even a waltz. He wasn't quite as good as some of her professional partners, but he kept up with her just fine. They danced until they were completely out of breath. He then led her to a table just off of the dance floor where they laughed and talked some more. Before either of them realized it, it was two in the morning.

"Oh my goodness!" Belle said looking at her watch, "I was supposed to be home two hours ago!"

"Do you have some sort of curfew?" Gavin asked.

"No, it's nothing like that, I just teach dance lessons on Saturday mornings, and I try to be in bed by midnight so I'm perky for them the next morning," Belle explained.

"I'm sorry," Gavin said standing, "I didn't mean to keep you."

"No," Belle grinned, "I had a wonderful time. It's no big deal; I'll just have to drink a cup of coffee before I leave," she finished, sticking out her tongue.

"Not a big coffee drinker, huh?" Gavin asked, amused.

"No, I hate the stuff," Belle smiled.

"Yet another thing we have in common," Gavin grinned as they walked out to the car.

They pulled up in front of the Caine residence at half past two. Belle hadn't realized how tired she was; she'd been having too much fun.

"Here we are," Gavin said, opening the door for her and helping her out, "I'm really sorry about keeping you up late."

"It's really no big deal," Belle assured him, "Besides, I can't ever remember having so much fun before."

He chuckled, "Make that one more thing we have in common. Belle, would you mind if I called you, maybe take you out again another night?"

"That would be wonderful," Belle smiled, "Goodnight Gavin, and thank you for the wonderful night."

"You are most welcome Isabelle Caine," he said before retreating to the car. Belle smiled and waved as he drove away. Walking into the house, she tiptoed up to her room. Crawling into bed, she sighed happily as she drifted off to sleep.

Horatio had seen her come in and smiled when he saw the grin on her face. He rolled over in bed and fell asleep, not really understanding what had just happened in his daughter's life.

The next day when Belle got home from teaching her classes, there was a lavender tiger lily waiting for her, her very favorite. There was a note with it that read:

_Thank you so much for the wonderful time last night. You bring a smile to my face every time I think about you. I can't wait to see you again._

_Gavin_

That was when Horatio realized that Gavin Matthews was here to stay.

**A/N: There's more, keep reading! Oh and hypergolic, I might update faster if you would review more frequently! ;) lol**


	13. Pep Talks and Threats

**A/N: Here's my CSI version of Meet the Parents! Lol! Enjoy!**

After their first date, Gavin and Belle decided to slow things down a bit. They went out together once and a while, but they dated other people as well. They worked on becoming friends before anything else happened. Every date that wasn't with Gavin, though, felt somewhat disappointing to Belle. She found herself thinking of him a lot, but it was a long time before she let herself realize she was falling in love with him. A little more than a year after their first date, they officially became a couple.

Horatio had never seen his daughter happier than when she was with Gavin. In his heart, he knew that it was this man that would take his little girl away from him.

Belle was falling head over heels and the trouble was, she liked the feeling. The first time Gavin kissed her, she could have sworn there where fireworks going off all around her. She realized that Gavin was all she had ever wanted and it was only a matter of time before she became Mrs. Gavin Matthews. And so it was that Belle decided it was time for Gavin to meet her family. Her CSI family.

"Calm down," she said as they walked up the path to the Delko's house, "They are going to love you! I promise they won't bite."

"I know," Gavin said, stopping on the porch and turning toward her, "But I can't help but be a little nervous."

"You'll do fine," Belle said, straightening the collar on his blue button up shirt, "Now before you meet my family, there are a few rules we have to go over. Number one, don't lie to Aunt Alexx. She's a human lie detector. And don't try to impress her with your medical jargon; she's a doctor too. Rule Number 2, don't out shoot Aunt Calleigh. There shouldn't be any guns at this New Year's party, but if she challenges you to a shootout, let her win. She'll probably kick you butt anyway, but I thought you should know. Rule Number 3, don't set anything of yours down by my Uncle Eric or my Uncle Ryan. They are pranksters and they'll try to humiliate you any chance they get. They're very protective of me and they're going to try to drive you away. Don't let that happen."

"Are you trying to ease my nerves or freak me out even more, cause this is the worst pep talk I've ever heard," Gavin commented.

Belle smiled, fixing a stray hair. "I'm sorry. I just think you ought to be warned. I hope they don't pull any of this on you, but they might. I'm pretty sure my dad's talk to them about it, so they should be on their best behavior. They are really wonderful people and they _are_ going to love you, I promise!"

"Alright," Gavin sighed, "Let's do this. But I think I'm gonna need a good luck kiss before we go in."

Belle raised her eyebrow in a smirk before kissing him gently. "Better?" she asked.

"Much," he grinned and squeezed her hand before stepping through the doorway.

They were immediately greeted by laughing voices and the smell of Aunt Natalia's wassil. She started to lead him towards to living room, but just then they were nearly run over by four little blurs.

"Belle!!" came the chorus when they realized who they had almost knocked over.

"Hey!" Belle said, wrapping her arms around her four cousins, "Guys, I'd like you to meet my boyfriend, Gavin. Gavin, these are four of my cousins. That one over by you in the red is Evan Delko, Mel's little brother. Then these three belong to my Aunt Calleigh and Uncle Ryan. This is Josh, Emily, and Kelsi."

"It's nice to meet you," Gavin said kneeling down next to Belle.

"He's handsome," Emily whispered not-so-silently to Belle.

"I think so too," Belle giggled, equally as quiet.

Belle and Gavin stood up as the four little ones ran down the hall. "They're probably off to their slumber party," Belle explained, "The New Year's party is for adults only so the kids have a sleepover at the party house. It's a lot of fun, but no one really gets any sleep."

"I can imagine, "Gavin laughed.

They entered the living room and Gavin was immediately surrounded by a good CSI family party. There were Chinese lanterns hung up around the room and the table in the corner was piled high with snacks and drinks. There were several couches clustered together, as well as a few arm chairs and beanbag chairs. He recognized Mel, who was sprawled on a beanbag playing some sort of card game with a younger boy, and he recognized Horatio, who was sitting in an arm chair, chatting with a beautiful dark skinned woman.

"Hi guys," Belle said, drawing everyone's attention their way, "I'd like to introduce you to my boyfriend Gavin."

There were warm hellos given in Gavin's direction and he felt genuinely welcome.

"Okay, Gav," she said smiling at him, "Here's the part when your grand memorization skills come into play. This is my Aunt Alexx and her husband Rich. They have two kids, but both of them have their own families now and live away from home. You of course know my dad, and then on the couch next to him are my Aunt Calleigh and her husband, my Uncle Ryan. You already met their three kids. On the other couch is my Aunt Natalia, and on the floor in front of her is my Uncle Eric. This is their house. You've already met their son Evan, and I know you know their daughter Melissa."

"Yes, I do believe we've met," Gavin teased, getting Mel's tongue stuck out at him in response.

"They have two other boys, Jordan, who is on the beanbag next to Mel, and Bryan ,we call him Bry, who is on the couch next to Natalia," Belle continued.

"Okay, I think I've got it," Gavin smiled.

The night progressed fairly well, Gavin got to know all of Belle's family, and they accepted him as one of their own. About 11:30 Eric and Ryan asked Gavin to follow them outside for a moment. Gavin looked nervously at Belle, but when he got a smile of encouragement, he stood and followed them.

"You wanted to talk to me?" Gavin asked as they shut the door behind him.

"Yeah," Eric said "We just need to get a few things straight before things get any more serious between you and Belle."

"Okay," Gavin gulped.

"Belle is like a daughter to me," Ryan said crossing his arms over his chest, "I've been there through a lot with her. We both have. And I love her almost as much as Horatio does."

"Same goes for me," Eric agreed, "She basically grew up in my house."

"Point is," Ryan continued, "If you ever do anything, and I mean anything, to hurt her, you're going to have to answer to us. And I can promise you it won't be pretty."

"I promise I'd never hurt her," Gavin said, standing up straighter, conviction in his eyes, "I love her more than anything in the world."

Both men looked at Gavin for a long time. Gavin felt like a tiny mouse being sized up by a pair of hungry hawks. Finally both uncles sensed that he was telling the truth. A warm smile broke out on both of their faces.

"Welcome to the family Gavin," Eric said putting his hand out.

Gavin shook it and then shook Ryan's. All three headed back into the house, but before they got there, Eric put a hand out to stop him. "Just remember, even though we like you, if you hurt her..."

"I know, I know," Gavin finished with a smile, "I'll die a very slow and painful death."

"He's got it," Ryan grinned as the trio head back into the house.

**A/N: Can't you just see Ryan and Eric doing that? I feel bad for poor Gavin! Keep reading, there's still more!**


	14. Nerves

**A/N: This is the proposal chapter! Here's tissues for anyone that might need them!**

Horatio checked his watch again; there was still more time to kill. He leaned his head back and thought more about what this day meant. He was losing Belle. That much he knew. He was no longer her number one protector, advisor, and best friend. Gavin was all those things to her now.

He was not only losing his daughter, today he was gaining a son-in-law. From the first time Horatio had met Gavin, the two had gotten along well. Gavin had tolerated Horatio's protective nature when it came to Belle and had dealt with Horatio's brand of jealousy. The two of them had their private chats while Gavin waited for Belle to get ready for a date or whatever, and they genuinely enjoyed each other's company.

Horatio recalled the day when he first learned that Gavin was going to become a permanent member of the family. It had only been about three months ago. The emotions he had felt that day were no different than the emotions he was feeling right now...

* * *

Horatio was in his home office pouring over some case files, when the door bell rang. He stood and made his way to the door. He opened it and was surprised to find Gavin standing there.

"Hi Gavin," Horatio said, "Belle's not home right now, it's her monthly shopping day with Melissa."

"Oh I know she's not home," Gavin said, shifting his feet, "Actually I was hoping I could talk to you."

"Sure, come on in," Horatio said holding open the door.

When both were inside, Horatio offered him a seat on the couch. "Can I get you anything?" Horatio asked, playing the part of a host.

"No, I'm fine thank you," Gavin answered.

Horatio raised an eyebrow. First Gavin was here when he knew Belle wouldn't be home. Second he was dressed up in a suit coat and slacks. And third, he had just refused the soda he always had when he was at the Caine house. Something was definitely up.

"What did you want to talk about?" Horatio asked, taking a seat across from Gavin.

"Well...I umm...that is to say...," Gavin tried.

"Take a deep breath and start over," Horatio said with a smile.

Gavin took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I don't know how to go about this so I'm just going to say it," Gavin said quickly, looking up at Horatio, "I am completely one hundred percent in love with your daughter. She's everything I ever wanted and I can't stand the thought of not being with her. So, Mr. Caine, I'd like to ask you for your daughter's hand in marriage."

Horatio was stunned for about five seconds. 'Marriage?!' his mind screamed at him, 'This kid wants to marry my Belle?' Horatio smiled and ducked his head for a moment, getting control of his emotions before answering.

"Before I answer that, Gavin, I have a few questions I'd like to ask you, if you don't mind," he said looking up at the young man.

"Of course sir," Gavin said.

"First of all, are you prepared to support a wife? I mean I know you are getting you medical degree, but that takes a long time, and requires a lot of patience on both your part and your wife's. It's a hard road to follow. Are you sure you are up to being poor for the first part of your married life?"

"I've discussed this with Belle and we've both agreed that by working together we could make it through all that. She's willing to help me reach my goals because she knows how much I want that," Gavin answered.

"Would you give up that goal of a medical degree if she asked you to?" Horatio pressed.

"That's a hard question, but as I have said before, Belle and I are a team and we'll work out everything together. If together we both decide that it is best for me to choose a new career then I will."

"Would you take my daughter and move far away if that's where the medical program takes you?"

"If the program requires it and it is the best thing for us, then yes. But we both consider Miami home, though, and I hope to set up my practice here when I get my degree. This is where we want to raise our family," Gavin answered honestly.

"Good answer," Horatio nodded, "One last question Gavin, do you love Belle?"

"With all my heart and more," Gavin answered with conviction, "I would die for her if it was required of me. That is how much I care about her."

Horatio smiled and nodded. "Well then Gavin, you have my blessing to marry my Isabelle."

Gavin's face lit up. "Thank you sir!"

"Don't 'sir' me anymore," Horatio said lightly, "You can call me Horatio, or H if you prefer."

"Thank you Horatio," Gavin said as Horatio gave him a one armed hug.

"Welcome to the family Gavin," Horatio smiled, "When do you plan on popping the question to my daughter?"

"Tomorrow night on our date," he answered.

"Good luck tomorrow night then," Horatio said as he let Gavin out the front door, "But I can pretty much guarantee that she'll say yes. She loves you a great deal you know."

"I know," Gavin smiled as he walked down the sidewalk to his car.

Horatio closed the door and leaned against it for a long while. Belle was going to be engaged tomorrow. His baby girl was getting married. He smiled a sad smile. He was happy for her, but he was missing her already.

* * *

It was the big night. Belle was upstairs getting ready, and Horatio was downstairs trying not to pace. Normally he was very good at keeping secrets, but this time it was very difficult. He knew how much this would mean to Belle and how excited she would be. There was a knock at the door and Horatio answered it to find Gavin standing there.

Horatio smiled warmly, "Come on in, she's just about ready."

"Thanks H," he said, coming inside.

"Nervous?" Horatio asked sotto voice.

"A little," Gavin replied.

The two men immediately looked up when they sensed a presence at the top of the stairs. Belle was breathtaking tonight. She wore a red dress that came to just above her knees. Her hair was in a fancy up-do and pinned in place with a large red flower.

"Wow," Gavin said coming to the bottom of the stairs and taking her hand once she had descended, "You look amazing."

"Thank you," Belle said shyly.

"Have a good time you two," Horatio said as the couple left the house. Horatio watched them go, knowing that the next time he saw her, she wouldn't be his any longer.

The evening couldn't have turned out any better. Dinner was superb and was followed by dancing at the same club they had their first date at. As she whirled across the floor in his arms, Belle felt complete. They were laughing and talking, and neither one wanted to be anywhere else. Soon it was after midnight.

"Care to take a walk with me?" Gavin offered his arm to her.

"Of course," she grinned taking his arm and letting him lead her away.

They walked and talked and laughed for a long time. Soon they stopped at a very special location.

"Where are we?" Belle asked, confused.

"Surely you remember the place where you almost killed me?" he teased leading her onto the deserted baseball field.

She laughed," Well it's a good thing I hit you, or we might never have met."

"You know, I've often thought that some guardian angel guided that ball so that I could find you," he admitted.

Belle smiled as she thought of the guardian angel it must have been.

"So Belle, here we are at home plate," he said, stopping and taking her hands in his, "I thought that it was appropriate that we be here tonight."

"Why?" she laughed, "Are you going to hit me with a baseball this time?"

"No silly, but I do have something else I want to hit you with," he smiled, looking into her eyes, "Belle, that very first moment we met, do you remember what I said?"

"I think you asked if you were dead," she answered.

"I did and I asked you that because when I first saw you I was sure you were an angel," he said, gently cupping her cheek in his hand. The tears started to well up in Belle's eyes as she sensed this was no ordinary date.

"Ever since that moment, Belle, you've been my guiding light in life. You are my sunshine, my heaven, and my earth. Everything I ever want to be revolves around you. Belle, I love you with everything I have in me. I wish I could paint your name in the stars to prove how much I love you. You mean everything to me, and never want to be without you. So Belle, tonight I ask you a question, much like I asked you that summer day, only this time I hope for a different answer. Isabelle Marisol Caine, I love you and want to be with you for the rest of my life. Will you marry me?"

At this, he knelt in the dirt at home plate and presented her with a beautiful diamond ring. The full moon cast its light on the diamond, and the diamond captured the light and held it tight. Belle was overwhelmed for a moment to the point she couldn't speak. When the joy in her heart finally loosed her tongue, she knelt down in front of him and put her hand on the side of his face.

"I will marry you Gavin Matthews. It's all I've ever wanted."

Gavin grinned and carefully took the ring out of the box, slipping it on her left hand. She wrapped her arms around his neck and over home plate, they shared a kiss that made even the moon and stars pale in comparison.

**A/N: (sniff) I just love a happy ending! What am I saying?! There is so much more to this story, no way am I ending it now! So now it's your turn guys! Push that little purple button and make me a very happy girl! Reviews are my best friend, and I promise another cookie and hug to everyone that reviews!**

**While you're at it, I need a little help in the wedding planning department. I've got Belle's dress, I've got the ring and the groom; what I don't have is a color scheme. Well, that's not entirely true, I have two that I can't decide between. So I've decided to take up a vote. You, the readers, get to choose the colors for Belle's wedding. Your choices are:**

**Lavender and Silver**

_**or**_

**Teal and Miami Orange**

**Keep in mind that her wedding is in early summer, but other than that I'd love to hear what you think! See you around the Caine household again soon! **


	15. The Lieutenant's Daughter

**A/N: Hello again friends! I know I've been slacking off on updating, but with only four chapters left, I'm finding my drive to write lessening. I think it's because I don't want to say goodbye to Belle yet. I promise, though, that the next four chapters are the best yet!**

**As for the wedding colors, reviewers were split on a decision, so I guess I'm just going to have to choose and let you guys be surprised! Oh, and before I forget, I am changing the chapter names for the Gavin's Girl three parter. It just looks too bland the way it is. Don't let the name changes confuse you!**

**Thank you again for all the reviews! Enjoy this next chapter of Belle and her adventures!**

_Precious butterfly,_

_Spread your wings and fly_

"We have _got_ to do this more often," Mel said, watching the world fly by outside the car window.

"I'll second that one," Calleigh laughed from the driver's seat.

"Why is it that we didn't do more girls days when we were younger?" Belle asked, smiling at her aunt and her best friend.

"I have no idea," Mel commented from the backseat, "But pretty soon we won't have time to do this anymore."

"Why not?" Belle said quizzically.

"Cause soon you'll be joining the old wives club and I'll be left out in the cold," Mel huffed.

"Hey, watch it," Calleigh said, looking at Mel in the rearview mirror, "I happen to belong to that "old wives club" and I love it."

"Well you're supposed to," Mel said, slumping in her seat, "You're an old wife."

Calleigh made a face and looked incredulously at Belle.

"It's okay," Belle assured her, "You can throw her out on the highway."

"That I just might do if she keeps it up," Calleigh laughed.

"As much fun as that would be, I still kind of need my maid of honor. After all, the dress is already fitted to her," Belle said, smiling at Mel.

"It's one of the few dresses that _is_ done," Mel commented, "And we still have yet to find yours."

"That's why we're out looking again today," Calleigh said, as she changed lanes, "After all, it would be tacky for the bride to show up without a wedding dress."

"I promise I'll find one today," Belle assured them.

It was a little over a month until the wedding, and Belle was out with her best friend and her surrogate mom on a wedding planning fun day. Most of the wedding details had already been taken care of, but there was still the elusive wedding gown to track down. Today they were going to try a specialty shop a few miles north of Miami to see if Belle's dream dress was there.

When they pulled up in front of the bridal store, Belle took one look in the window of the store and knew her dress would be inside. The owner of the store greeted them and Belle began looking through books of dresses and browsing the store's wide selection of on hand wedding gowns. Mel piled Belle's arms high with dresses she wanted the bride to try on. Belle was eventually shown to a dressing room, and Calleigh and Melissa sat down, ready to give their opinion on each and every dress.

The first dress that Belle tried on was fitted all the way to the floor and she basically waddled over to where her aunt and cousin were sitting. She tripped when she got near them, but luckily Mel caught her.

"This one's a no," Mel laughed, "We can't have you falling at the groom's feet all night."

The next dress had a flamenco style skirt and was completed with a large white flower in the bride's hair.

"Ole!" Belle laughed, striking a pose.

"No-le," Calleigh and Mel said together.

The next dress was an old fashioned looking one with puffy sleeves and a hoop skirt. It also included a parasol and an hat with feathers.

"I think this one's a no-go Scarlet," Calleigh snickered.

"I'm beginning to wonder what my dress consultant was thinking," Belle said, giving Mel a look.

"I was thinking I wanted a few good laughs before we got on to the real dresses," Mel giggled, wiping away a tear of mirth.

Belle tried on short dresses, long dresses, dresses with sleeves, dresses with straps and even a dress made entirely of lace. Still, none seemed to be exactly right. Calleigh and Melissa laughed over dresses, sighed over others, but they too agreed that not one had been "the one".

Finally it was down to the last dress. Belle looked at it on the hanger and crossed her fingers. She slipped it on and the dress shop owner helped her secure the back of it. Belle looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. This was_ the_ dress.

She exited the dressing room and walked slowly towards where her family was seated. Calleigh and Mel were engaged in conversation, but they both stopped when they saw Isabelle. Belle ducked her head shyly, but looked up smiling and said, "So, do you like it?"

Melissa's mouth hung open; for once in her life Miss Delko was speechless. Calleigh had proud tears in her eyes as she gazed at the grown-up version of the little girl she helped raise.

"You look like an angel Belle," Calleigh said, standing and walking over to the young woman, "An absolute angel. I'm not sure this dress is completely fair, though."

"Why not?" Belle asked.

"Because Gavin is going to be knocked senseless when he sees you in it," she smiled.

"And that's a problem because...?" Mel interjected.

The girls laughed, and Belle turned to look at herself in the mirror again. It was going to be a perfect day.

* * *

Horatio used to think that a wedding was a simple thing, after all, his own had been a very basic affair. Marisol had gotten a dress, he'd gotten her a ring and they'd gone to the courthouse to seal the deal. That was a marriage, he realized much too late; a wedding involved months of planning and lots of money. The date Belle and Gavin had decided on was May 24th, which gave them a little over three month to plan the wedding. At the time, it had seemed like that would give them plenty of time to plan a proper wedding, but now with the day looming ever closer, Horatio wasn't so sure.

Most of the wedding plans had already been taken care of; Gavin and Belle had ordered the flowers, picked the cake, reserved the church, and had worked out where they wanted the reception. There had been things for Horatio to do as well; he'd had to be fitted for a tux, he fought with the bridal companies when they took advantage of Belle, and he worked out a professional photographer for them. Horatio had helped them with wedding plans as much as he could, including an all night invitation assembly line in order to get the announcements out on time. Luckily for him, Calleigh had stepped in and volunteered to help with things like dress shopping, and hairstyles and make-up for the big day.

The most awkward part of the whole thing was meeting the in-laws for the first time. He had nearly bristled with jealously when Gavin's father had hugged Belle and called her his daughter. All in all, though, he felt very lucky that Belle had the in-laws she did; they were kind to her and had immediately accepted her as a part of their tightly knit family.

All the stress of planning a wedding and getting ready to start a new life had taken its toll on Belle. She was a trooper, though, and rarely showed it. Horatio really noticed it one night when he got home about midnight. It had been a long day, a complicated case, and he was very glad to be home. He was about to head up the stairs to go to bed when he saw a light on in the kitchen. Curious, he walked towards the kitchen, but stopped in the doorway with a smile when he saw the scene set before him. Bridal magazines, address cards for guest, and receipts were scattered all over the dining table and in the middle of it all was Belle, fast asleep with her head pillowed on a stack of magazines. 'Poor girl,' Horatio thought as he moved towards his daughter, 'Must have fallen asleep planning.' As much as he wanted to let her keep sleeping, he knew she'd wake with a kinked neck in the morning if she slept here all night.

"Sweetheart," he said quietly, gently touching a hand to her shoulder, "Sweetheart, you need to go to bed."

She stirred slightly and sat up straighter, rubbing her eyes. Horatio noticed that some of the ink from the page she had been laying on had transferred to her check. "What time is it?" she asked sleepily.

"A little after midnight," Horatio answered, "Why didn't you go to bed?"

"Too much to do. And I couldn't sleep," she admitted quietly, playing with her hands in her lap.

Horatio sensed a tone in her voice that told him she was worried about something. "What's on you mind Angel?" he asked, pulling out a chair and sitting beside her.

"It's nothing," she said looking down.

"It's got to be something," Horatio said, putting a hand on her arm, "My Izzy doesn't sound like that unless something is bothering her."

"I just...I don't know...I'll probably just sound like a baby," Belle said, putting her chin in her hands.

"You can trust me," Horatio insisted, "Are you having second thoughts about the wedding?" From the look on Belle's face, Horatio knew he had hit the nail right on the head.

"Oh Daddy, I don't know what to do," she said, tears filling her eyes, "I love Gavin so much, but I'm so scared."

"What are you scared of?" Horatio asked.

"Everything's going to change when I walk down that aisle and say "I do". I won't have my old room anymore; I'll be in charge of everything in my life; I'll have another person to take care of," Belle said, laying out her deepest fears before the one person she knew would never judge her, "I like the way things are right now. I'm just scared that after the wedding, things will change so much that he won't love me anymore. I'm scared that we'll fight all the time. I'm scared I won't be good enough." At this point she was completely in tears.

Horatio listened and his heart broke for his baby girl. He gathered her into his arms and just held her, letting her cry for a time. When the tears began to lessen he pulled back, but took her hands in his. He knew that if he ever wanted to stop the wedding and keep Gavin out of Belle's life, now was the time. But as he looked into her eyes and saw how much she cared about the man she was going to marry, he couldn't do it. He wanted Belle to be happy and if Gavin was what made her happy, then so be it. He would protect that with everything he had.

"I know it's scary to have everything change, Sweetheart. I understand what you're going through, and it's okay to be scared, as long as you don't let that fear over power your love for Gavin. You have to have faith in your love for each other, that it will carry you through the rough times ahead. You have to believe with your whole heart that the love you share will protect you from the demons of doubt."

Belle listened closely to what her father was saying. It was as if she were a child again and he was coming to rescue her from the monsters under the bed. His words were having the same calming effect on her as they had then, even with these real life "monsters".

"The only way to beat these fears is to face them," Horatio said, "Bravery will only come through experience. I promise you that if you tell Gavin what you're feeling, he'll help you through. I'd even go so far as to bet that he's feeling some of the same feelings. Together you'll be stronger and you'll make it through this. I can't promise there won't be hard times, but I will promise you that if you hold onto each other, you'll be alright."

Belle wrapped her arms around him when he finished speaking. "Thank you Daddy," she whispered in his ear, "That's just what I needed to hear."

"Are you going to be okay again?" Horatio asked, pulling back to look her in the eye.

She nodded with a smile. "Yeah," she said, sounding so much like Marisol, "I'll be okay."

"Good," he smiled, "And now before we go to bed, I was wondering if you'd give me the honor of a dance."

"Now?" Belle laughed.

"Why not?" Horatio smiled, "We don't get to do this very often and I need some practice before we dance on your big day."

"Alright," she said, taking his hand and letting him lead her to the living room.

Horatio turned on the CD player and the first song began to play; it happened to be Tim McGraw's _My Little Girl_. Horatio turned back to Belle and they began to dance. As they twirled around the living room, Horatio noticed a real smile begin to creep back onto Belle's face.

They danced on, laughing and enjoying the moment. When the last notes of the song faded away, Horatio pulled Belle into a hug.

"Thanks Daddy," Belle said, "I really needed that."

"So did I Sweetheart," he replied, "But now I think you'd better head off to bed."

She agreed and said goodnight before heading up the stairs. As he watched her go, he whispered, "Goodnight...my little girl.

* * *

It was an early Saturday morning at the Caine house. Belle was eating a bowl of cereal with her dad, when the phone rang.

"I'll get it!" she said jumping up to answer the phone. She picked it up and by the smile that crossed her face, Horatio knew instantly who she was talking to. "Hi Gavin...yep...but I..."

The more she talked to Gavin, the more her face fell into a sad look. "No, I understand...of course...don't worry, it'll be okay...I'll take care of it...Good luck...I love you...bye." She hung up the phone and slumped back down into her seat.

"What's wrong?" Horatio asked, knowing instantly that something was up.

"Gavin and I were supposed to go run some wedding errands this morning, but he can't now because his anatomy professor changed the date of his final to this afternoon. He needs the morning to study because he has to pass this test," Belle explained, looking dejected.

"Can't he get an extension or something?" Horatio offered.

"This _is_ his extension," Belle said, "The real test is actually the day before the wedding, but he worked it out with the professor so he wouldn't have to take it then. I completely understand, but it is kind of a bummer because now I have to go do all these wedding things by myself."

"Well, maybe I could go with you," Horatio suggested, "I have the day off. That is, if you want me to go. It could be sort of like an Izzy day."

"Daddy, would you really?" she asked, brightening.

"Of course," he smiled.

"Great!" Belle exclaimed, "I'll go finish getting ready. Half an hour from now sound good?"

"Sounds perfect," Horatio replied.

A few hours later, Horatio and Belle were still running errands. They had double checked that the flower order would be ready for the big day, they picked up the wedding dress that was finished being altered, they made sure the photographer had his down payment for the pictures, and they checked that the shoes had been dyed to match the bridesmaids' dresses. Now they were just leaving the jewelers where they had picked up Gavin's wedding ring.

"How about some lunch?" Horatio asked as they passed several food stands in the outdoor mall.

"As long as it's Chinese!" Belle said.

A little while later they were sitting at a table in the middle of the "food court", eating their chow mein, and sweet and sour chicken. Belle was admiring the ring they had just picked up. It was a simple white gold band, with a little engraving on the edges and the date of the wedding inscribed on the inside of the band; Gavin had said that he wouldn't forget their anniversary that way. Belle looked over at her dad's hand, on which he still wore his wedding ring; she had never seen him take it off.

"Daddy," she asked, suddenly curious, "Why do you still wear your wedding ring? Mom's been dead for twenty years."

Horatio was slightly taken aback, but smiled softly, fingering the ring. "I guess I always thought that if I didn't take it off, someday she'd miraculously come home."

Belle's eyes grew misty and she squeezed her dad's hand. They both left the subject alone after that. They talked about other things, mostly the wedding though.

"Are you sure you still want me to walk you down the aisle?" Horatio asked, "After all, I'm old enough to be your grandfather!"

"Daddy, come on!" Belle said, flicking a mushroom at him, "I love you and you are absolutely perfect just the way you are."

"Do you ever feel like you missed out because I was older when you were growing up?"

"Never," Belle smiled, "In fact I wouldn't change anything, even if I could. There have been some awkward moments over the years, but I couldn't ask for anything more."

The pair continued eating and talking and laughing. Horatio knew there wouldn't be too many more moment like this in the future. After she married Gavin, she'd be too busy raising a family and having a wonderful life to spend a lot of time with her father. That was okay with him, though; he had his memories to keep him happy.

They were just getting into a deep discussion on crimes as they related to wedding stress, when two people walked up to them.

"Excuse me," the man said, "You wouldn't happen to be Lieutenant Horatio Caine, would you?"

Horatio wiped his mouth on a napkin before answering. "I am. What can I do for you?"

"You probably don't recognize us," the man continued, motioning to the woman next to him, "But we owe our lives to you."

"About twenty years ago you saved two little kindergartners from a serial killer," the woman said, bouncing the baby in her arms, "They called it the "Miracle Rescue". You were the person who got the survivors out alive."

All of a sudden it dawned on Horatio who these two were. The years had changed them, but he could still see the five year olds in their eyes. "Max? Hailey?" he asked in disbelief.

"You do remember us then," Max said with a smile.

"How could I not?" Horatio said.

"We just saw you over here and had to come over and thank you properly. We really didn't get a chance when we were five," Hailey said.

"Well you are very welcome," Horatio said graciously.

"Thanks to you we got to grow up. After that whole experience, Hailey and I bonded," Max said, looking over at Hailey, "I mean, no one else knew what we'd been though, and we could support each other. Eventually we fell in love and three years ago we got married."

"And this," Hailey said, smiling at the baby in her arms, "Is our little girl Hannah. We named her after..."

"You sister who died," Horatio said quietly, remembering the little girl he had been too late to save.

"Her middle name is Calleigh, after the officer who helped in the rescue," Hailey continued, "Do you still work with her?"

"As a matter of fact I do," Horatio answered.

"Would you mind telling her thank you for us as well?" Max asked.

"Of course," Horatio smiled, "She'll be thrilled."

Max nodded. "Had Hannah been a boy though, we were going to name her after you."

Horatio laughed. "I think that would be more of a torture than an honor for him," he teased, "But thank you for the thought. This is my daughter Belle by the way."

"A pleasure to meet you," Belle said.

"You are a very lucky girl to have a father like yours," Max said.

"Don't I know it," Belle said, grinning at her father.

"Well, we'd better let you get back to your lunch," Hailey offered, "And thank you again for everything. I can't stress that enough."

"Don't worry about it," Horatio said, "It was my honor. Take care of yourselves."

"We will," Max promised. The little family left father and daughter alone again.

"Wow," Belle said, "I've never met one of the victims you've helped before."

"I know," Horatio said, watching them go, "I'll always remember them though, because we rescued them the night I found out you were going to be born."

"Really?" Belle asked.

He nodded. "Everyone called their rescue a miracle, but that night _you_ were my miracle. And now look at you, all grown up and about to get married."

Belle blushed and smiled. "I hope I get to be as happy as you and mom were."

"I bet you will be," Horatio assured her, "Gavin's a wonderful man and I'm sure your life will be all you ever dreamed about."

She smiled and swirled her drink with a straw before a funny thought entered her mind. "You know," she said with a smirk, "Seeing Max and Hailey's baby made me think about me having my own kids someday. Then you _will_ get to be "Grandpa"."

"Don't remind me," Horatio said with a teasing groan, "Let's get through the wedding first and then you can spring that one on Gavin and see what he thinks."

"Speaking of springing," Belle said standing, "We've got three more errands we have to run before dance classes at four. Think you're up to that old man?"

"Old man?" Horatio said, pretending to be miffed, "Just for that, the last one to the car has to walk home!"

They both took off at a run for the car. Belle made quite the spectacle beating on the car windows, with Horatio locked smugly inside, swinging the keys just out of Belle's reach.

**A/N: Wow, you got to the end of a really long chapter! I hope you liked it! Now please review and tell me what you think! I have more hugs and cookies for those that review!**

**If any of you are curious about what Belle's wedding dress looks like, PM me and I'll e-mail you a picture of it. I also have a version of the bridesmaids dresses as well.**

**This was the last chapter of flashback; onto the wedding!!!!!!!!! Next chapter: Return to Now**


	16. Return to Now

**A/N: Hey everyone! Long time no see! Real life got really hectic really fast, but I did manage to have time to crank out the next chapter finally! I'm hopeful that I'll have time soon to finish the story completely.**

**Anyway, this chapter is the morning of the wedding! There isn't a whole lot of Horatio/Izzy interaction in this one, but I can promise you there will be a LOT in the next chapter! Again I don't own CSI Miami or its characters. The lyrics at the beginning of the chapter are from Bob** **Carlisle's**_**Butterfly Kisses, **_**and I don't own that either**. **Hope you enjoy! **

**Chapter 16: Return to Now**

_She'll change her name today._

_She'll make a promise and I'll give her away._

The moments in Izzy's life played on the movie reel of Horatio's mind, each scene showing her growing up and becoming the woman that she was today. Before he realized it, the film of memories ran out and he found himself alone in the living room, the early morning sun playing on the sleeve of his tux.

He stood slowly and walked to the bottom of the stairs. He chuckled to himself as he was reminded of all the times he had stood in this very spot, waiting for Izzy to come down those stairs. Today would be her last time, he realized. Horatio knew that she would come back to visit him, but it would never feel like this again.

He heard the sound of a door opening and then soft footfalls on the carpet and turned to see Izzy standing at the top of the stairs. Isabelle was radiant in her white gown , her smile illuminating Horatio's whole world. She started to descend the stairs, but thought better of it. Throwing Horatio a mischievous smile, she moved to the banister and slid down, right into Horatio's arms.

"Well, hello there Angel," Horatio smiled, before setting his daughter on her feet.

"Hi Daddy," she grinned, straightening her dress.

"Are you ready?" he asked, offering her his arm.

"Give me a minute to say goodbye, okay?" she asked, stepping away from him to look around the house she had called home for the past 21 years.

Horatio watched her take in the details like she was trying to hold on to a tangible memory. "You know you can always come back here," Horatio commented quietly.

"I know," she said turning to face him, her eyes soft, "But it will never be like this again." She looked around for a minute more before drawing a deep breath and then flashing a brilliant smile at him. "Alright, let's do this," she said, taking his arm and walking out the front door.

Horatio helped his daughter into the waiting limo and then climbed in himself. Izzy was fairly quiet, and Horatio knew what that meant.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked her, smiling when she looked at him like a child that had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

"You know me too well Daddy." When Horatio nodded his agreement, Izzy continued. "I was just thinking about how today is... today is my wedding day. It hardly seems real."

"Any doubts?" Horatio asked, his voice echoing from a similar conversation years ago.

"Nope," Izzy said with a smile.

"Good," Horatio said, taking her hand, "That's the way its supposed to be."

The rest of the trip was filled with lighthearted conversation and laughter. When they pulled up in front of the church Horatio stepped out and leaned back into the limo to speak to Izzy.

"I'm going to go inside and make sure the coast is clear, and then I'll be back out to get you," he said.

Izzy smirked. "You're really bent on keeping the "groom can't see the bride before the wedding" rule, aren't you?"

"What can I say? I'm an old fashioned kind of guy," he winked, before shutting the door and heading into the church.

He was met immediately by Melissa, who was already dressed in her silver knee length dress. The other bridesmaids were dressed in lavender, but because Mel was the maid of honor, she was being singled out in the silver attire, as was the best man. Her hair was in an up-do, with a few curls framing the side of her face, and her heels made her almost as tall as Eric, who was also in the foyer of the church.

"There you are!" Mel said coming over to her uncle, "But I think you forgot something. Where's the bride?"

"Don't worry," Horatio laughed, "She's in the car. I was just making sure Gavin wasn't around so we could sneak her in the church with him seeing her."

"He's busy at the moment talking to the priest," Mel explained, "I think that will give us plenty of time to get her in here."

"I don't know," Horatio commented, "Have you seen how many layers her dress has?"

Melissa punched him lightly in the shoulder. "You are such a goof Uncle H," she said. Then as if seeing her uncle for the first time said, "Wow, you clean up real well. You look very snazzy today."

"Thanks Melissa. You look pretty stunning yourself," he said giving her a fatherly hug, "Hard to believe you're both so grown up."

"I know," Eric said, moving away from the wall he was leaning on, "But sometimes they still act like little kids." Mel stuck her tongue out at her father before he put an arm around her.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Mel asked, starting to head for the door, "Aunt Calleigh's been having fits all morning. She doesn't like to be kept waiting. I'm actually surprised she hasn't swooped in yet. "

"I've got it," Horatio said, putting up his hands to stop his niece, "Just go round up Calleigh and I'll deliver Izzy to the Bride's room in just a minute."

"Your funeral," Mel muttered as Horatio went back outside.

He opened the car door again and offered a hand to Izzy. "Well, are you coming to the ball Princess?" he asked with a teasing smile.

"Only if my handsome prince is waiting for me," Izzy smiled, stepping out of the limo.

"From what I've heard, he's in there somewhere," Horatio assured her, "He hasn't gotten run-away-groom syndrome, that I know of anyway."

She laughed and he held open the church door for her as she and her many layers of wedding dress entered the foyer.

"Oh Belle!" Melissa exclaimed, wrapping her arms around her "sister", "You look absolutely amazing!"

"Thanks!" Izzy said with a smile, "But I still need my makeup and hair team. Are you up to it?"

"Of course! Wouldn't miss it for the world!" she said, starting to lead Isabelle towards the bride's room, "Aunt Calleigh's waiting for us as we speak."

Horatio tried to follow his daughter through the door, but Mel put a hand on his chest to stop him. "Sorry, Uncle H, but fathers of the bride aren't allowed during the beautification process. I promise we'll give you time to say your last goodbyes later, alright?"

"Okay," Horatio sighed dejectedly, stepping away as the door closed between him and his Izzy. All that was left to do now was wait.

"My sister would be proud," Eric said, stepping over to his brother-in-law.

Horatio smiled softly before turning to face Eric.

"When she was a little girl, she was always playing house and her baby dolls were her pride and joy," Eric continued, speaking fondly of his late sister, "I always knew she'd be a great mom someday. Having a family of her own was the only thing she ever wanted. Belle is exactly everything that Mari would have asked for in a daughter, and that's because of you. You raised her little girl the way she would have, had she lived to see this day."

"Thank you Eric," Horatio said, "But I didn't do it alone. They say that it takes a village to raise a child and I think they're right, only it took a crime lab in our case. Without you and Natalia and Calleigh and Ryan, Izzy wouldn't be half the person she is."

Eric let the thought slide and they stood in companionable silence for a while, before Horatio spoke up again. "She looks so much like Marisol," he said almost wistfully, "Sometimes I look at her and it's almost like having Mari here again."

"She may look like my sister, but she's all you when it comes to her attitude and personality," Eric noted.

"What?" Horatio asked, smiling.

"Don't tell me you can't see it?" Eric asked incredulously. When Horatio still looked confused, Eric shook his head. "The way she talks, her drive to succeed, her belief in the good in other people, her caring nature, her generosity, her commitment, the way she stares you down when she wants something, that's all you. Sometimes it's like have a female H around."

Horatio chuckled. "Izzy's my sparing partner, my best friend, my closest ally, my listening ear, my crying shoulder, but most of all she's my daughter. I'm really going to miss that."

"She won't let that go away," Eric reassured him, "She idolizes you and she trusts you more than anyone. She'll always be able to be that person that you need her to be."

Just as they were finishing their conversation Calleigh stuck her head out of the Bride's room and called Horatio over.

"What dear?" Horatio teased, sauntering over to the cracked doorway.

"Oh don't even start," Calleigh said with a smirk, "Hey, I'm kind of tied up with the whole make-up thing right now, but I need Belle's bouquet. Do you think you could find it for me? Last I heard all the flowers had been delivered to the annex of the chapel."

"I'll try my best Cal," Horatio promised, heading down the hall in search of the roses and daisies. He hadn't gone too far when he heard a small commotion just around the corner.

"Kelsi! Come back here! No, no, no! Not on your dress!" Ryan's strained voice echoed and as Horatio rounded the bend, he saw that Ryan's face about matched his voice. Mr. Wolfe had an expensive vase in one hand and Kelsi in the other, trying desperately to keep the two apart, but, like magnets, they seemed to be pulling together anyway.

"Here, I've got it," Horatio said, taking the vase from Ryan and putting it on a higher shelf.

"Thanks H," Ryan managed, as he put Kelsi back on the ground. Kelsi, not pleased with the outcome, promptly sat down on the floor, her arms crossed, sporting a pout worthy of an Oscar. Horatio nudged her gently with his shoe, hoping to coax a smile out of her, but only succeeded in getting his foot slapped.

"Oh, one of _those_ days," Horatio said with a grin.

"Yeah, and I didn't think it was possible at her age," Ryan commented, rolling his eyes, "Actually she was fine until Cal wouldn't let he go in the bride's room with Belle. I think she took it a little personally."

"I see," Horatio said, trying to hide a chuckle, "And I guess you're on babysitting duty then."

"Yeah," Ryan sighed, "I love her to death, but I don't know if my nerves can handle making sure she doesn't ruin an expensive dress on my niece's wedding day! I've decided that wrapping her in saran wrap so tightly she can't move until the ceremony would be a good idea right about now."

Horatio laughed, "I'd like to see you explain that one to your wife!"

While the two adults were talking, Kelsi was sitting there trying to figure out what she could get into next. Spotting a potted plant on a little stand not to far away, she cautiously inched away from her father and uncle until she could walk over to it. It was up a little higher than she had expected, but she found that she could just reach its rim if she stood on her tiptoes. She stuck her arm out as far as it would go, and, catching the edge of the pot, pulled it towards her...

Just then Ryan happened to look over at his daughter and his panic reflexes went into motion as he saw the impending disaster. "Kelsi! No!" he started to say, moving towards her, but it was already too late. Almost in slow motion, the pot tipped past the point of no return and fell to the ground. The pot shattered on impact, spraying dirt and plant parts all over Kelsi. Ryan swore loudly. Kelsi looked up at him with large eyes.

"Daddy what does that word mean?" Kelsi asked innocently, seemingly unaware that she had just sent her father into cardiac arrest.

Ryan's panic escalated as he realized that not only had Kelsi gotten dirty under his watch, but his parrot-like daughter had just learned a new word that she was sure to repeat to her mother. Calleigh was going to kill him.

"Never, ever say that word, okay Sweetheart?" Ryan said quickly and soothingly as he walked over to her, trying in vain to scoop the dirt back into what was left of the pot. "How on earth am I going to get this dirt off your dress? Didn't I tell you not to touch anything?"

Horatio watched with mild amusement. Ryan's haphazard style of parenting always made him smile. "It's okay Ryan," Horatio said finally, stepping over to the mess, "This will fluff right out."

"Did I just hear Horatio Caine say 'fluff right out'?" Ryan asked, looking up at his boss, "What does that even mean?"

"All you have to do is take her in the bathroom, take off the dress, shake it vigorously, and the dirt should come right off. It's not ground into the dress, so I think you'll be alright. Just be sure to wipe all the dirt off her face and hands and legs before you put her back into the dress," Horatio advised.

"Well, if you say so," Ryan said, sounding mildly unconvinced.

"I've got to go finish an errand for Calleigh, but I'll be back in a minute if you need me," Horatio promised.

"Thanks H," Ryan said, pulling his stubborn daughter towards the bathroom, "See you later."

Horatio chuckled and turned away, set once again on his path to the annex. Walking past a large window, he caught a glimpse of something outside in the flower garden. Taking a closer look, he smiled when he saw his future son-in-law. Gavin was pacing back and forth slowly, muttering to himself and occasionally glancing up at the sky. Deciding that he wanted some one on one time with the young man before the ceremony, Horatio walked to the nearest door to join Gavin in the garden.

Noticing a figure out of the corner of his eye, Gavin stopped his pacing and muttering. Seeing Horatio, he broke out in a nervous but happy smile. "Hi Mr. Caine," he said, reaching out a hand to shake Horatio's.

"I've told you before, it's Horatio," he said smiling, "What are you doing out here all by yourself?"

Gavin smiled sheepishly. "I was practicing what I'm going to say at the altar. I want to say everything just right, make it perfect for her. I care about her so much and I want to tell her with the right words."

"She already knows, I'm sure," Horatio told him, "But I know she'll appreciate it. She's looking forward to becoming Mrs. Matthews."

Gavin smiled, and then as if he could sense what Horatio was feeling on some level, said, "I know everything's going to change in a few hours, for all of us. I'm marrying the woman I love, and she and I are going to start a brand new life together. I know how close you and Belle are Horatio, and I respect your relationship. You were the first man she ever loved and I know I'll never be able to take that place in her heart, nor would I ever try. Even though she's leaving you in a sense, I promise that you'll never lose her Horatio."

Horatio nodded slowly, agreeing with those wise words. He felt comfortable releasing Belle into Gavin's hands because he knew that Gavin understood who she was at her very heart. A part of his heart still ached though, and he knew it probably would for a while to come. Finally gathering his emotions and his voice, he said, "Thank you Gavin, that means a lot to me. You know, I don't think I could have picked a better soul mate for Isabelle than you. I trust you with her heart, and that is the greatest compliment I can give."

"Thank you sir," Gavin said.

"Well, Gavin, I've got to finish running errands for Calleigh, but thank you for talking with me. It will make handing her over to you a little easier."

"I'm thankful everyday you are letting me have her," Gavin said, giving Horatio a quick hug before the two men parted, Gavin to gather his thoughts and Horatio to gather the bouquet.

Horatio finally reached the annex of the chapel, his thoughts still on his conversation with Gavin. He had meant every word of it and it almost scared him. There were several people in the annex, most related to the groom. Gavin's mother, Christine, was overseeing the distribution of the flowers. People bustled back and forth; bridesmaids, groomsmen, and the like. Spotting Horatio, Christine came over to give him a hug.

"Today's the day!" she said, almost lighting up with anticipation, "How's Belle?"

"She's excited," Horatio admitted, "And very very happy."

"Oh good!" Christine said, clapping her hands together, "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Actually I was sent to pick up the bridal bouquet," Horatio said, "The girls are too busy getting ready."

"We can get that for you!" she said, turning towards the pile of boxes behind her, "And we might as well get you fixed up with your boutonniere while you're here." She pulled a rose and baby's breath boutonniere out of a box and carefully helped him pin it on his tux. "There," she said, standing back to admire her work, "A father fit for walking his daughter down the aisle! Here's the bouquet too, " she finished, handing him another larger box.

"Thanks Christine," he said, taking it from her.

"No problem!" Christine answered, "And don't forget to tell that beautiful bride that we love her!"

"I won't," Horatio assured her, before heading down the hall, back towards where his little girl waited.

**A/N: Well, there you have it. Horatio got Izzy to the church on time and now all that's left to do is get her married! lol Please review if you liked it!** **There are three more chapters coming soon!**

**Next Chapter: Becoming Belle: ****Horatio finally has to say goodbye to his little girl.**


	17. Becoming Belle

**A/N: (Runs in and throws a stack of papers at the eager Izzy fans before turning tail, dodging the crack of whips from all sides, and diving Indiana Jones style into a safe hiding place) There! Manuscript delivered after a long, long, long break! Please don't hurt me! Lol Sorry about the long break guys! Life got in the way in a major way, but I promise I haven't forgotten about Izzy. I will get her story finished and here is the next chapter, so please enjoy! Oh, and thank you again to everyone who reviewed! You guys make me really happy:D **

**Chapter 17: Becoming Belle**

_Standing in the bride-room just staring at her_

_She asks me what I'm thinking _

_And I said "I'm not sure-_

_I just feel like I'm losing my baby girl."_

Horatio stood in the hallway just outside the bride-room, waiting for something to happen. Calleigh had come out to retrieve the bouquet, only to disappear behind the closed door again moments later without a word. Horatio had a feeling it wouldn't be long, though, because Mel had come out five minutes earlier wiping her eyes and heading in the direction of the chapel.

Just as he was wondering whether or not he should knock, the door opened silently and Calleigh stepped out. Horatio took one look at her and had to smile; her eyes were teary and the corners of her mouth were twitching slightly, a sure sign that she was trying very hard to keep from crying. She caught Horatio's eye and she knew he saw what she was trying so desperately to hide.

"Don't even try it!" she said, backing away from Horatio's arms that were about to pull her into a hug.

"Come on Cal, it's just a hug," Horatio teased, knowing exactly why she didn't want the embrace.

"You know full well it's not "just a hug" Mr. Caine," Calleigh said feigning annoyance, "You want to make me bawl so that you're not the only member of the wedding party with a tear soaked face. And besides, I refuse to bring bad luck to Belle's marriage by crying! I won't do it and you can't make me!"

Horatio laughed and finally succeeded in pulling her into a tight hug. "You know Calleigh," he whispered as she broke down into his chest, "Sometimes it's alright to cry."

"I know," she sniffed, "But she's...she's..."

"Not the six year old you'll always remember her as?" Horatio finished.

"Something like that," Calleigh mumbled, wiping her eyes, "Now look what you make me do! I've got mascara streaks all over my face. Listen, I've got to get cleaned up before the ceremony; if I'm like this already, I'm going to be a mess at the 'I dos'. Why don't you go talk to Belle while I'm gone and then we can get this party underway."

"Okay," Horatio agreed, watching Calleigh walk away, "And don't forget the extra tissues for the bridal march!" He heard her snort in mock annoyance before turning to the door in front of him.

As he went to turn the knob, he baulked suddenly and couldn't bring himself to open the door. Had twenty-one years of being a best friend, a doctor, a chauffeur, a cook, a maid, a playmate, a teacher, a _father_ come down to this? If he opened this door, he would lose her forever. If he stayed on this side and never opened it, things would go on as they always had, and he could continue in his favorite status quo. He smiled to himself and shook his head. 'Your part is over now Lt. You did well. Now let her test her own wings.' His path once again firm, he grasped the knob and turned it, stepping into the room slowly. He was not prepared for what he saw.

There she was, standing in the center of the room, her back towards him. She heard him enter and turned to face him. For a moment, for the briefest hiccup in time, he did not see his little girl; he saw his beloved wife. There she stood before him, looking just the way she had on their wedding day; soft curls, laughing eyes, purity and happiness, the way he would always remember her. He was granted one smile, one last moment, before the vision left his mind. He blinked and Marisol was gone, replaced by someone he loved just as dearly.

There are no words to describe how Belle looked to her father that day. Beautiful, amazing, lovely, happy, wonderful, glamourous, shimmering, radiant; these words did not hold a candle to the image before him. Her dress came down to the floor, the bodice tightly fitted until just below her natural waist where the skirt angled out, creating a 'bell' of material. The gauzy train went out behind her, giving the illusion of a vanishing dream. She was wearing a beautiful diamond necklace that complimented the neckline of the gown. Melissa had done wonders on Belle's wavy black locks; her hair was partly pulled up into a loose fold where the comb of her veil rested, and the hair that was left down was twisted into gentle curls. The veil itself was sheer and delicate, extending to just below the top of the back of the gown. It fell across Belle's bare shoulders as if it had always been there. Her face looked so natural, so flawless, but so elegant, proof that Calleigh had worked her magic on it. What Horatio noticed most, however, was the shy beautiful smile that graced his daughter's face when she caught his eye.

"Belle," he said softly, unable to believe that the woman that stood before him was his baby girl.

"Whatever happened to Izzy?" She asked him, with a small smile.

"She grew up." was his only answer as tears filled his eyes.

Belle smiled as she saw this, and stepped over to her father. Gently touching her hand to the side of his face and looking up into his eyes, she said, "No matter what happens Daddy, no matter where I go, or what I do, I'll always be your little girl."

He looked into her eyes and that look alone said more than words would ever be able to. It said goodbye, I'll miss you, I'm proud of you, and I love you more clearly than he had ever been able to vocalize. She hugged him tightly, and he held on. When he let go, he saw the beginnings of tears in her eyes.

"Hey now," he said, rubbing his thumb gently over her cheek to get rid of a stray tear, "None of that. It's your wedding day, you're supposed to be happy."

"But you are hurting," she observed quietly.

He smiled, caught by the person who knew him better than anyone else. "I can't hide anything from you, can I?" he asked, already knowing the answer, "Don't worry about me. I knew when you were born that someday I'd have to let you go, I just didn't understand what that would feel like until now. I'm happy though, much more happy than I am sad." He stepped back and tried to get a lighthearted mood back. "You look amazing Belle. I can't tell you that enough."

"Thanks Daddy," she said, sensing the change in mood and going along with it, "I think everything ended up going together nicely."

"It sure did," Horatio commented, "Did you remember your something old and new and borrowed and blue?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "My something old is the veil comb with pearls that Abuela gave me, my something new is the necklace Gavin bought me, and my something blue is the sapphire bracelet Aunt Calleigh gave me for an engagement gift. Oh no!" she said suddenly, as she realized she had left something out, "I don't have anything borrowed to wear! What am I going to do? The wedding is in fifteen minutes!"

"Calm down," Horatio said with a smile, "I made sure Calleigh would skip the something borrowed when she helped you get ready because I have something I want to give you for the day." He reached into the neck of his shirt and pulled out a silver chain with something attached to it. Slipping the chain off of his neck, he undid the clasp and removed the object from the chain. He fingered it gently before holding it up so Belle could see.

"This," he said quietly, with obvious reverence, "is your mother's wedding ring. I've kept it on a chain close to my heart for a long time, but I think it belongs in a different place today." He carefully took Belle's right hand in his and slipped the band onto her ring finger. It was a perfect fit. "She would have wanted you to wear it on your special day so you don't forget her."

"I could never forget her," Belle said, throwing her arms around her father's neck in a tight hug, "Thank you so much."

"Oh Angel," he whispered softly into her hair. This was the last moment that she would be his. Next time he hugged her, next time they had a moment alone together, she would be Gavin's, in name and in heart. 'What am I going to do without her?' he thought to himself. Everything he was that was important to him centered around this girl and now the center was shifting. He realized in that moment though, that he wasn't losing her, she was walking away. This was her choice and her heart and her happiness, he could only stand by and make sure she got it.

Releasing her at last, he sighed and then smiled down at her. "Well Miss Isabelle, your happily ever after awaits," he said offering his arm to her and motioning towards the door.

"Wait," she said, stopping him, "I just wanted to say...thank you, thank you for everything." The tears shone in her eyes and though her words were simple, they said everything.

"Anything for my Everything," he said with a smile, squeezing her hand.

She grinned, the tears now gone. "Lt Caine, I hear there is a wedding taking place here today and I don't have an escort down the aisle. Would you do me the honor?"

"I will," he said smiling and taking her hand, "As long as you never call me Lieutenant Caine again."

She laughed, the sound pure music to his ears, and they exited the bride-room together, walking towards her happily-ever after.

**A/N: I know it's a little on the short side, but I hope you enjoyed it! Please review with feedback!**

**Just so you know, I have a picture of Belle's wedding dress if anyone would like to see it, just e-mail me! Also, I'm having trouble deciding on a father/daughter song for our favorite duo. I don't want to do "Butterfly Kisses" even though I've been using it as chapter headings, but I do need a good song! If you know of a good song that reminds you of Horatio and Belle, please let me know! If I like you idea, I'll use it for their father daughter dance at the reception!**

**Next Chapter: Wedding Belles! At long last Izzy and Gavin will finally tie the knot!!!!**


	18. Wedding Belles

**A/N: Hello to all my favorite people! Belle took a short break so that she could finish her finals, but she finally got around to telling me the story of her actual wedding ceremony. I wish I could do the image I see in my head complete justice, but I hope you get a sense of what it was like. It helps if you turn on Jim Brickman's **_**Angel Eyes**_**. I turned it on while I was reading over this and nearly went into tears! Lol (By the way, I don't own that song, or **_**Butterfly Kisses**_** or any of the CSI characters for that matter)**

**Before I forget, thank you to all who reviewed! You guys keep me going and for those regular reviewers who didn't review last time, I'm still waiting! ;) I tried to respond to each of your comments, but my e-mail has been acting up so I apologize if it didn't get through! I still want more ideas for a father/daughter song and I'd also love for you guys to pick out the song for Gavin and Belle's first dance as well. I love getting your input! Constructive criticism isn't bad either!**

**Well I hope you all dressed up because you are going to a wedding! ;) Please enjoy! **

**Chapter 18: Wedding Belles**

_Sticking little white flowers all up in her hair_

"_Walk me down the aisle Daddy- it's just about time."_

"_Does my wedding gown look pretty, Daddy? Daddy, don't cry!"_

This was it. This was the moment that Horatio had been both dreading and looking forward to for the last three months. Now that it was here, he didn't know if he was really prepared for it. He looked over at Belle as they walked toward the chapel, and smiled as he saw a glimmer of himself in her. When the sun hit her hair just right it had a slight reddish tint to it, and the small smatter of freckles running over the bridge of her nose reminded him of her half Irish heritage.

When they arrived at the annex of the chapel, it was already a beehive of activity. Melissa had declared herself wedding planner and was currently organizing the wedding party in the order in which they would walk down the aisle. She had just finished lining everyone up, when Horatio and Belle entered the room.

"There you are," Mel said, sounding relieved, "I was hoping you'd at least make it to your own wedding on time." She embraced Belle. "Here, you two are the main event so you're at the back of the line," she motioned, leading them to their places.

Melissa fussed over Belle's veil and train, making sure that both were perfectly positioned; "After all," Mel said, "the audience is going to be looking at your rear for the majority of the ceremony, might as well make it something nice to see." When she was satisfied at last with every last fold of material, she looked at her best friend and said, "So are we ready to get this show on the road?"

"You bet," Belle grinned as Melissa went to tell the preacher they were ready. Moments later she returned to her position in line next to the best man, and music began to play softly.

The doors opened and the first people down the aisle were Belle's college friend Brittany and one of Gavin's best friends, Harrison. Following them shortly after were Gavin's little sister McKensie, and Josh Wolfe. Belle had really wanted Ryan to be one of the groomsmen, but he had respectfully declined, suggesting that another Wolfe might take his place. Horatio had been concerned having a groomsmen that young in the wedding, but wearing his tux with the lavender vest and tie, Josh acted much older than his twelve years and Horatio could see that it had been a good choice.

After Josh and McKensie came the best man and the maid of honor. Belle had wanted to distinguish how special these two people were in her and Gavin's life, so instead of a lavender dress or vest and tie, they were arrayed in silver to set them apart from everyone else. Melissa winked at her best friend before walking down the aisle on the arm of Gavin's best friend and one time college room mate Chase Bently.

Then came the two little flower girls, making way for the bride herself. Kelsi and Emily looked precious in their little white dresses with lavender ribbons. They did just as had been practiced, coating the aisle in a soft layer of rose petals.

As they reached the end of the aisle, the music changed, announcing the arrival of the bride. Belle had decided against the traditional bridal music for her walk down the aisle, instead selecting her favorite instrumental _Angel Eyes_ by Jim Brickman. Horatio heard the music and suddenly there was a lump in his throat. He wasn't nervous about his role in the ceremony, he had practiced it a dozen times at the rehearsal the night before, but here he was scared to death to finally let her go.

She turned to him with a brilliant smile, which he returned before they started their walk down the aisle. As they enter the chapel, Horatio took one moment to notice how beautiful the scenery was. The aisle had been lined with roses and ribbons, and the people on the benches, dressed in their best, added to the color. Light was flooding in through the floor to ceiling windows on either side of the room. The altar at the end of the aisle had also been decorated with flowers, but Horatio noticed his daughter's eyes were not on the decorations, they were on the man that stood at the end of the path she walked.

Horatio was pleased to note the look of absolute awe in the eyes of his son-in-law as he saw the bride for the first time. He wondered if Gavin was even breathing at this point. He glanced over at Belle's face and saw a glow there that could not be described as anything but love.

As they walked down the aisle together, people on both sides stood to welcome the bride to her special day. Horatio didn't recognize many of the people on the groom's side, but his family, and then some, stood on the bride's side. There was Frank, his head freshly shined, wearing a look Horatio had not seen on the detective's face before. Alexx was there too, along with her husband and two children. Tears were already leaking out of her eyes, but that was just how Alexx was. _I can't wait to see Calleigh,_ Horatio thought with a smirk. Yelina and Ray Jr. were there as well. Ray Jr. had brought along his wife and two children, the youngest barely three years old. Cooper and Valera and the rest of the techs that had kept Belle out of trouble all those years at the lab were all crammed together on one bench.

Each step Horatio took towards the altar felt a little heavier and he could almost feel her literally slipping away. With each step he was reminded of a moment, a time with Belle that was behind them both now. He looked over at Belle again, and squeezed her arm when she grinned up at him.

As they reached the front of the chapel he saw the rest of his family. Eric had an arm around Natalia, who was already crying, but both smiled proudly at Belle as she passed. The three Delko boys were even behaving themselves, seemingly in awe that their cousin could actually look like she did now. Last, but certainly not least, was the Wolfes. Since their three children were part of the wedding party, Calleigh and Ryan stood alone on the front row, soon to be joined by Horatio after his part of the ceremony was completed. Ryan was grinning proudly as he saw his 'third daughter'. He still adored her even after all these years and they had a special bond, somewhere between best friends, father and daughter, and niece and uncle. Calleigh was holding her composure, surprisingly, but Horatio could tell it would only be a matter of time until that facade fell. She was holding Ryan's hand tightly, as she winked at the passing duo.

Soon they were at the altar, and Horatio held on to Belle's arm as the minister instructed everyone to be seated.

"Friends, family, and loved ones of Isabelle Caine and Gavin Matthews, we gather together today to celebrate the union of these two wonderful people and to witness the beginning of their life together," Father Tyrone began, "Marriage is a promise and a commitment not to be enter into lightly, and there must be a complete trust for it to succeed. Isabelle and Gavin have a love that will carry them through the hard times, a joy that will lift them in happy times, and a hope that will keep their marriage alive. This couple has asked to be joined together today, in the presence of all those who are special to them, so that they may begin walking their path together. Who gives this woman to this man?"

Horatio was so lost in the moment that he barely heard his cue. This was it, the instant he would lose her forever. But then when he turned to face Belle, and saw that look in her eyes, he found a peace he had been searching for. "I do," he whispered, smiling at Belle.

"I love you Daddy," she said quietly, as he kissed her on the cheek.

He then joined Belle and Gavin's hands, sealing his blessing for their happiness. With his hands holding theirs together, he looked at them both, but they were already lost in each other's face. He smiled before slowly letting go and backing away from the altar. As he sat down next to Calleigh, his part in Belle's life played, she squeezed his arm, and a watery smile of encouragement graced her face before she turned back to the front of the room.

Horatio looked to the spot on his right where Marisol should have been sitting. They had left a chair there for her, representing her presence at this momentous occasion. A single white rose lay across the empty chair, placed there by none other than Belle herself. Horatio teared slightly, but didn't cry. He smiled, placing his hand over the rose, knowing that even if he couldn't see her, she was still there.

The minister continued to speak about love and the power it contained. He cautioned Belle and Gavin to be careful of their words to each other because words can damage more than any physical pain. Belle and Gavin stood facing each other this whole time, looking into each other's eyes, a smile playing on both of their lips.

Soon it was time for the vows. "Do you Gavin Matthews promise to love and cherish this woman, to forsake all others but her, to give of your substance and wealth of the this world that she might succeed, to hold tight to her alone, to trust her with your life, and to care for her throughout your days? Do you promise to be her knight in shining armor?"

Gavin chuckled slightly, not having heard the complete vows, but understanding what Belle was asking him to do. How Isabelle to keep a fairy-tale mind set on the day of her wedding. "I do," he promised her, with conviction in his eyes.

"And do you Isabelle Caine promise to love and cherish your husband, to stand with him through every trial, to trust him with your heart and life, and to be a strength to him for all your days together? And I suppose I should add, do you promise to be his princess?" the minister, a close family friend, added with a hint of mirth.

Belle blushed and laughed. "I do," she answered with equal fervor to that of her husband.

In the middle of all this, Kelsi Wolfe's attention span went to zero. She had been trying to pay attention, but it was so hard with the boring guy talking on and on. Seeing her mother and father on the front row, she decided she'd had enough of standing and left the wedding party to go join her family. There were snickers of amusement as Kelsi pushed past all the dresses and lace and flowers to reach her parents. Calleigh, blushing red and throughly embarrassed, pulled her little daughter onto her lap.

"Mommy, go home?" the little girl asked innocently, wanting to be done with being good.

"Shh," Calleigh said, trying to quiet her daughter, "Not now, in a little while, okay?"

The little girl heaved a big sigh and nodded before climbing onto her Daddy's lap, and curling up in his arms. Calleigh looked over at Horatio apologetically. "Sorry," she mouthed.

"It's alright," he chuckled quietly, before turning back to the ceremony.

"May I have the rings please?" Father Tyrone asked, and was quickly presented with two white gold bands by the little ring bearer, Gavin's nephew. He blessed the rings and then began the ring ceremony. "Take her ring Gavin and repeat after me: I Gavin Matthews take thee Isabelle Marisol Caine, to be my wife in hard times and good times, in wealth and in poverty, and in sickness and health. With this ring, I thee wed."

Gavin smiled and looked into her eyes as he spoke the words. "I Gavin Matthews take thee Isabelle Marisol Caine, to be my wife in hard times and good times, in wealth and in poverty, and in sickness and health. With this ring, I thee wed." When he finished speaking he slipped the wedding band on her finger and then kissed her hand gently.

"Belle take his ring and repeat after me: I Isabelle Caine, take thee Gavin Zackary Matthews, to be my husband in hard times and good times, in wealth and in poverty, and in sickness and health. With this ring, I thee wed."

Belle took her husband's hand and repeated the phrase slowly, " I Isabelle Caine, take thee Gavin Zackary Matthews, to be my husband in hard times and good times, in wealth and in poverty, and in sickness and health. With this ring, I thee wed." She placed the ring on his finger, and he wrapped his hands around hers.

"As you have pledged your commitment to each other before God and your loved ones, and by the power vested in me by the state of Florida, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Gavin, you may kiss your bride."

Gavin grinned, and started to pull Belle into a kiss, before he dipped her and then kissed her deeply. Cameras went off all over the room, and a loud applause broke out, bringing everyone to their feet. Horatio grinned and clapped loudly, for once not feeling the pain of loss, but the joy of the moment. Calleigh stood next to him crying, desperately trying to keep the tears under control but failing miserably. The grin plastered on her face, however, proved that these were happy tears. Ryan put an arm around her and kissed her soundly, holding on to his sleeping daughter with the other. Kelsi had fallen asleep somewhere between Gavin's ring and the kiss. Eric and Natalia were cheering loudly too; amazingly Natalia was no longer crying, but her smile was so wide it should have hurt.

Gavin brought Belle out of the dip and kissed her again. Belle was glowing and grinning, warming every heart in the room. They held hands and faced the gathering of people.

"May I present to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Gavin Matthews," Father Tyrone said with a smile as another cheer rose up from the audience.

Belle took Gavin's hand again and they walked back up the aisle. People threw rose petals up in the air, showering the new couple with sweet smelling blossoms. As she passed her father, Belle winked at him and flashed him a dazzling smile. He grinned and waved. Her ever after had just begun.

**A/N: Sigh (wipes a tear from my eye) I just love a good wedding! And it wouldn't be a real wedding without a Wolfe making things interesting! hehe **

**The wedding is over, but the reception is always the fun part anyway, right?** **I'm really excited about the next chapter and I'm hoping it turns out like I envision it. The next chapter is the last chapter, but I promise that everything will be tied up at the end. If you'd like to see anything specific at the reception or in the next chapter anywhere, please let me know!**

**And as always, please review!!! It makes me so happy!**

**Next chapter: That Kind of Ending (I'm hoping this can be my Christmas gift to y'all)**


	19. That Kind of Ending

**A/N: Hi again everyone! I know this chapter is a little late, but as it is the last one, I wanted to spend a little more time on it, to make it perfect. Some of the words were just not coming to me (Have you ever tried to spell the sound sherbert makes when it hits the floor? Lol) **

**In all seriousness though, I want to thank those who reviewed for the last few chapters...I really appreciate it guys. This chapter is dedicated to those who have stuck with this story from the very beginning and have encouraged me with their comments.**

**This is my last publication for a while. I start school again next week and I'm not positive I'll have time to work on fanfictions again any time soon. This story has also taken a lot out of me and so I'm taking a break as a writer. I do have some plans for upcoming stories, including a sequel to **_**To See Her Smile**_**, but I can't promise when those will be around in written form.**

**On a side note, the title of this chapter is actually the title I considered for the whole story, but I decided against it because it felt more appropriate here. The whole story was about this journey of parenthood that Horatio never expected and it is about him realizing how this "adventure" changed him. In this chapter Horatio finds closure for this chapter of his life and realizes that this ending is really a brand new beginning for him.**

**Oh, and as a creative note, the bleeped out swear words are intentional. I didn't want to change the rating and the way I have them now adds to the comedic value of the story (you'll see what I'm talking about when you get there). I had them written really cute with asterisks and pound signs and dollar signs and things, but I doubt will let me keep it that way so you'll just have to pretend! ;)**

**And as a last disclaimer, I don't own CSI Miami or its characters, **_**Butterfly Kisses**_** by Bob Carlise, **_**So Close**_** by Jon McLaughlin, or **_**You're My Hero**_** by Teresa James. **_**You're My Hero **_**is an awesome song by the way...if you want to hear it, youtube has a video of it, or you can e-mail me for a link!**

**Enjoy the final installment of **_**Unexpected Journey!**_

**Chapter 19: That Kind of Ending**

_I couldn't ask God for more_

_Man, this is what love is._

_I know I gotta let her go, but I'll always remember_

_Every hug in the morning and butterfly kisses._

Horatio checked his watch and then leaned back against the bench, his fingers netted together behind his head. The ceremony had been over for three hours now, and the wedding photographer was still taking picture after picture. His assistants were running around taking candid shots of the guests and of the wedding party while the main photographer posed the bride and groom and the family members. Horatio was sure that the shutterbug had already used more film and megabytes in digital pictures, than Horatio had used on Belle in her entire life.

It wasn't to say that there weren't going to be some great pictures out of this photo session though. Each angle and type of picture possible had been taken; traditional shots of the wedding party all lined up; just the girls from the wedding party; the groom and his groomsmen together; Melissa and Belle together, back to back in a Charlie's Angels pose; Belle sitting on a bench with Emily and Kelsi (once she woke up) kissing her on the cheek; Calleigh and Belle in a mother/daughter pose, arms around each other's neck, cheek to cheek and grinning from ear to ear; Eric and Ryan lifting Belle and holding her suspended between them; Belle and Gavin holding hands; Ryan kissing Belle on the cheek as she laughed; Belle and Gavin leaning up against each other pretending to be asleep; Horatio and Belle together, her hand on his chest; Gavin dipping Belle; Belle pretending to be shy as Gavin stole a kiss; the list went on and on.

Once the photographer was through with Horatio, he went and sat on a nearby bench to watch and wait. He had been joined by Calleigh and Ryan who had taken turns holding Kelsi until she woke up. (Calleigh suspected Kelsi was sleeping now so that she could stay awake for the party later that night) He had even held Kelsi for a moment or two while Calleigh took Emily to the bathroom and Ryan had his picture taken. He loved the feeling of the warm little body curled up against his chest; it had been a long time since he had been able to hold Belle like this.

At long last, the wedding party was finally excused and they moved to a nearby event tent where the wedding luncheon was to be held. Horatio was hoping to sit near his daughter so that he could talk with her, but members of Gavin's immediate family had already taken that privilege. He instead joined Eric and his family at another table nearby. Horatio had not been able to say two words to his daughter since she said "I do", which had him a little miffed, but he understood that everyone wanted her attention today and he looked forward to the father daughter dance where he would have some one on one time with her.

By the time the meal and all the toasts were completed, the sun was beginning to dim as evening came. Everyone piled into cars, the newlyweds into the limo, and they headed for the reception hall where the party was to take place. Belle had chosen this particular reception hall because it was large enough for everyone she wanted to come, and because it had a hardwood dance floor.

When they arrived, music was already playing, courtesy of Gavin's friend Bryce who was the DJ for the evening. Lights were dimmed and candles had been placed all over the room, adding to the magical atmosphere. The was an air of elegance about the place, almost like a fairy-tale castle. The wedding cake sat on a table in the corner, proudly displaying layers of yellow cake with raspberry filling, topped with fondant and real flower decorations. Belle's favorite part of the cake was the tiny candy pearls that wound their way around the tiers of frosting and flowers.

In no time at all the party was hopping. People arrived by the dozen, each eager to greet the bride and groom and to wish them the best. Belle was grinning the whole time, fluttering from group to group, greeting people and receiving compliments. She finally managed to pull away for a second and was wandering around looking for her husband, when she was stopped by Mel.

"Oh my gosh!" Mel exclaimed, grabbing Belle's arm, "Why didn't you tell me the best man was so hot?!" Due to scheduling conflicts, the best man and maid of honor hadn't been able to meet until the ceremony, but apparently Mel approved. "I mean talk about a hunk! Those eyes, that hair, that tan, that cute little tushy. He's on my list of Melissa's Most Wanted," she gushed.

Belle tried to say something but Mel cut her off.

"Please tell me you're keeping the tradition of the maid of honor kissing the best man at the reception, please, please, please?!" Mel begged. "What I wouldn't give to get my hands him..." Just then she caught something in Belle's eyes and she sighed, "...and he standing right behind me, isn't he?"

Belle nodded, trying to keep from laughing.

"Any chance he didn't hear any of it?" Mel whispered. Belle shook her head. "Didn't think so," she sighed, "Well I might as well make the most of it, you know me, I never back down from trying my luck on the item of the week!" She winked and then turned around to engage the now interested best man in conversation concerning certain wedding traditions...

Belle laughed at the hijinks of her best friend and then continued the search for her groom.

Horatio watched the gathering from his spot on the balcony above the dance floor. He leaned against the rail and thought about the day's events. He was pulled from his revery by a voice next to him. "Missing her already?"

Horatio stood tall again and faced Ryan with a knowing smile. "It'll happen to you too someday," Horatio promised.

"Nah," Ryan said leaning against the railing and facing the crowd below, "I've got years left before Kelsi or Emily will be ready to get married."

"Time goes faster than you think," Horatio said returning to his previous position, "One day you look at them and they're licking peanut butter and jelly off their hands watching Sesame Street, and the next..." he motioned to where his daughter stood with her new husband.

"I guess," Ryan conceded, "But don't you kinda feel like it's time to let her go?"

"You may think that, but as a father you don't really understand it," Horatio said, "Come talk to me when Emily gets married and then we'll see; it's not as easy as you think it is."

"I guess I just don't see my girls growing up," Ryan said with a half laugh, "I can only see them the way they are now, mischievous little bundles of energy who dismantle my CSI kit, jump on my bed at three o'clock in the morning on my day off, and paint murals on the wall in permanent marker."

Horatio smiled thinking about his own battles with a younger Belle. "Did you ever get the last mural off?" Horatio asked, remembering last week's Wolfe issue.

"The spaghetti sauce one?" Ryan asked, "Yeah, I ended up repainting that wall. You know, some times I think Calleigh pays them to do stuff like that just so I have to paint."

"Well it works. I'd been asking you to repaint it for a year and you finally got in done in a day and a half thanks to our little artist," Calleigh said, walking over with a grin on her face, little Kelsi following her closely.

"I knew it," Ryan said, lightly slapping the rail in front of him, "H, why didn't you warn me I was marrying a little conniving slave driver? I mean, you'd worked with her for a long time before I met her."

"Maybe I had him under my spell too," Calleigh teased, kissing Ryan's cheek.

"And then she does stuff like that and I can't help but love her," Ryan smiled, returning the kiss.

While this conversation was taking place, Kelsi was fiddling with a little dish of raspberry sherbert. It was her very favorite, but it was still pretty frozen so she was having a hard time scooping it out with the plastic spoonShe pushed the little lump around and around the dish until suddenly it broke free from its plastic confinement and toppled to the ground, landing with a wet squish on the hardwood floor.

"$&#$," Kelsi said loudly. That distracted the adults from their conversation.

"What did you say?" Calleigh asked in an I-can't-believe-that-just-came-out-of-my-daughter's-mouth kind of way.

"$&#$," Kelsi repeated, thoroughly oblivious to the panicked look she had put on her father's face.

"Sweetie, that's a very bad word," Calleigh said in a scolding, but gentle manner, "I don't ever want to hear you say that again. Where on earth did you learn such filthy language?"

Kelsi, ever the innocent, quickly ratted out her father. "He said it," she clearly stated, pointing a finger to emphasize.

Calleigh's eyes narrowed as she looked up at her husband who was squirming and smiling sheepishly. "Oh really?" Calleigh asked, eyebrows raised.

When Kelsi nodded in the affirmative, Ryan knew he was in deep $&#$. "Cal I...honest I...I can explain..." Ryan backpedaled.

"Ryan Wolfe you are grounded for a month and I think you need your mouth washed out with soap. What do you think Kelsi?" Calleigh asked, turning to look at her daughter with a smirk.

Kelsi nodded enthusiastically.

"Thanks Benedict Arnold," Ryan muttered, "I covered for you on the holes in Mom's flower garden thing and this is how you repay me?" Kelsi giggled and grinned.

"Come on," Calleigh said, grabbing Ryan by the ear and pulling him towards the nearest bathroom, "We've gotta wash out that mouth of yours."

"Cal...owww...please no...I'll be better...ouch...Cal...please...that hurts...CAL!!!!" Ryan's pitiful protestations faded as the happy couple rounded the corner and disappeared from sight.

Horatio chuckled and headed down the stairs as it was about time for the newlyweds to cut the cake.

Sure enough, when Horatio reached the bottom of the stairs, everyone was gathering around the cake in the corner. Flashbulbs went off as the photographer captured the couple slicing into the cake. Gavin gently fed a bite to Belle, careful not to get any on her dress. _I wonder if the poor sap knows what's coming, _Horatio chuckled to himself as he watched his daughter pick up a large piece of cake. True to Horatio's thought, Belle brought the cake up to Gavin's mouth gently before jamming it into his face. The crowd let out a rumbling laugh. Gavin stopped for a moment, before wiping off a chunk under his eye and popping it into Belle's mouth. Her sunny laugh warmed Horatio's heart.

They decided that it would probably take Gavin a little while to clean up, so Belle declared it time for the father-daughter dance. She cleaned her hands and face of the messy icing and raspberry filling and then went over to her father.

"The bride would now like to share a special dance with her father," the DJ announced, before carefully selecting the right song and sending the soothing music through the speakers.

"May I have this dance?" Belle asked.

"Of course," Horatio said leading her out to the middle of the dance floor.

Once there they faced each other, and he bowed as she curtsied. He then took her in his arms for a special moment neither one of them would ever forget.

_I would ride on your shoulder_

_And look out on the world_

_Pretending I was big and tall like you_

_When you were there to hold me_

_I never was afraid_

_You made me feel there's nothing I can't do_

"So how does it feel, being married?" he asked her as they danced together.

"I'm not sure I'm used to it yet," she smiled, "Ask me again in a few days when reality sets in."

_If I'd spread my wings to fly_

_When I was very small_

_I knew that you'd be standing by_

_To catch me if I fall_

Horatio was fighting the emotion back from showing in his eyes. This was his moment with Belle, his last time to be the father he'd always been. In his arms she wasn't a woman who had just married her true love; she was a little girl playing dress up and dancing on his toes. _His_ little girl.

_You're my hero_

_Chasing the monsters from my room_

_Going on trips around the moon_

_The one who's always been there faithfully_

_You're my hero_

_And cause you're my Dad_

_I'm twice as blessed and lucky to be me_

He spun Belle out and then back towards him. She smiled up at him and then rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes and living in the moment. He leaned his chin lightly on top of her head, swaying for a moment, as one single tear trickled down his cheek and landed in her curls. "I love you," he whispered, dropping a kiss on the top of her head.

_As I kept on growing, we often disagreed_

_But you let me find myself in my own way_

_And it's funny, how just lately_

_I've come to recognize_

_How wise you are becoming everyday_

_There's so much you've given me_

_I hope I've made you proud_

_You're everything a Dad should be_

_And it's time to tell you now_

He smiled as he thought of all the struggles he and Belle had experienced over the years. There had been fights and disagreements for sure; especially when Belle went through her little "clubbing phase". Even though he had been angry with her, the relief of finding her had won out. She had fought him on makeup and car privileges, dating curfews and the right to sleep in, but they were never anything less than best friends. She had made him proud, more than she would ever know.

_You're my hero_

_You didn't have to say a word_

_Your love was the message that I heard_

_Inspiring me to be all I can be_

_You're my hero_

_And cause you're my Dad_

_I'm twice as blessed and lucky,_

_so lucky_

_to be me_

As the song came to an end he wanted to hold onto her forever. He spun her out one more time and brought her in slowly. Looking into her eyes, he saw tears, and he saw in their reflection that he too was crying. Her lip trembled slightly as it always did when her heart was full of emotion as she reached up and touched the side of his face.

"I love you," she whispered with conviction.

"I know," he said gathering her into a tight hug one last time, "And I love you."

As the crowd of people around the dance floor looked on, there was barely a dry eye in the room. Even tough guy Ryan blinked back the tears before his wife could see. The tenderness was palpable and the love stronger than any tangible element. These two had only had each other to lean on for so long, that a bond had been foraged destined to last forever. But now was a time for goodbyes and growing up.

Horatio finally released her from his grasp, knowing that he was the one that had to let go. He smiled and wiped a tear from her cheek.

"May I cut it?" Gavin asked quietly, stepping over to his young wife and her father.

"Yes," Horatio said with a smile, taking Belle's hand and placing it in Gavin's, "She's yours now. Take care of her."

Gavin smiled, and gave Horatio a subtle bow, saluting him for the great gift that had just been exchanged. Although the actual ceremony had been over for hours, all three people on the dance floor understood that this was the real parting. Horatio had just officially given up Belle's heart, so that she could be happy. He had given her up for good.

He backed away slowly as Gavin took Belle into his arms. A slow hauntingly beautiful song began to play as Horatio reached the edge of the dance floor. Gavin and Belle swept away on the song as they danced, like a prince with his princess. The song was _So Close _by Jon McLaughlin, a perfect song for a first dance as husband and wife. Horatio stood next to Ryan and Calleigh and watched the happy couple waltz across the floor. Gavin spun Belle out quickly and she laughed as he pulled her in again. The smile that graced her face was peace for Horatio; she was happy, and so, as a result, was he.

Dancing continued well into the night. Everyone who wanted got a chance to dance with the bride, including her adoring 'uncle' Ryan. There were fast songs for the younger guests and slower ones so that the bride and groom got a chance to see each other during the reception. There was much laughter and celebration.

Over in the corner, underneath the table where the presents had been stacked, Emily and Kelsi, as well as the ring bearer Nathan, had curled up with some extra table cloths and were sleeping soundly, undisturbed by the party going on around them.

When the garter was tossed, Josh Wolfe came out of nowhere and snatched it up without really trying, before disappearing back into the crowd, a look of disbelief plastered on the faces of the adult men vying for the prize. Josh put the garter on over his pants and wore it that way the rest of the night, much to the embarrassment of his mother.

The bouquet toss was also memorable. Screaming and pushing women all gathered together at the base of the staircase. This frenzy was not limited by age; Emily tried for the flowers, as did Gavin's 87 year old grandmother. Even Calleigh and Natalia got in on the action when Melissa taunted them about being too old for it. Not surprisingly, it was Mel Delko who caught the sweet smelling blossoms. Belle laughed and winked at her best friend. They say that the woman that catches the bouquet is the one who will marry next, and if the flirting Mel was doing Chase was any indicator, another wedding might be in the not too distant future for the CSI clan. Oh and in case you were wondering, yes, Mel did get to kiss the best man.

Horatio mingled and visited with the guests, enjoying the evening of celebration. All too soon however, he heard the sound of a clock chiming. Belle and Gavin had decided to leave at midnight so that they could get started on their honeymoon. They were going to spend their first night together in a five star hotel and then first thing the next morning they were catching a plane to Arizona where they would spend the next two weeks backpacking in the Grand Canyon.

Belle looked up when she heard the clock and smiled at Gavin. Taking her hand in his, Gavin kissed it and made an announcement over the din of the crowd. "Thank you all for coming, everyone. The reception was lovely and we're both thrilled you could be here with us. We'd like to start on our honeymoon, but you're welcome to spend the rest of the night dancing. Thank you and goodnight!"

A cheer rose up from the crowd as everyone made their way to the front of the reception hall to see the newlyweds off. Bubbles were blow and rice was thrown as they made their way to the waiting limo. Before Belle got in, she turned around to look for her father. She caught his eye and blew him a kiss. He "caught" the kiss and put his hand to his cheek. She winked at him and he waved as she got into the limo, Gavin following shortly after her. The limo pulled away into the star soaked night and everyone waved a final goodbye before it disappeared around a bend.

Horatio stood on the steps of the reception hall, hands in his pockets, watching the spot where he had last seen her. He had spent Belle's whole life reading her stories about princesses and magic and spells ending at midnight. What he had never realized, though, was that his princess would leave him and the spell would be over. The clock had struck twelve, midnight had come, and now she was gone.

* * *

Horatio unlocked to door to his house at well after two in the morning and slipped inside, shutting the door behind him. His ears still rung from the noisy celebration of the party, but he could hear the silence of his house over it. He'd put this off as long as possible; he'd helped clean up at the reception hall, spent time talking to every well wisher as they left, and taken the long route home. But here he was in the one place he didn't want to be, an empty house.

He undid his tie as he slowly walked up the stairs. He was exhausted, but his mind wouldn't allow him to sleep, he knew that. He paused in the doorway to Belle's old room and leaned against the frame. In some ways it hadn't changed at all over the years; Belle tended to be a bit of a packrat and hardly ever threw anything away. There was a faded poster of a boy band that hadn't been popular in a decade hanging on her closet door, a white and pink wooden toy chest in the corner, most likely still filled with her favorite toys. Belle had taken her clothes and her photos and other things she's need in her new home, but the remnants of her childhood still haunted the room.

Horatio walked over to the bed and smiled sadly as he saw Belle's favorite teddy bear, propped against the pillows just as he always had been. He picked the bear up gently and then sat on the edge of the bed, fingering the stitching on the bear's arm.

"She leave you behind too, Stumpy?" Horatio asked quietly. But like all stuffed animals, Stumpy remained silent.

Horatio rested his forearms on his thighs and turned the bear over his hands, thinking. He nudged the shaggy rug under his feet aside with his toe and smiled when he saw a round stain on the carpet, made by blue fingernail polish Belle dripped when she was in junior high.

Horatio sighed. He was alone with his memories of Belle, sitting on her bed and clutching her worn out teddy bear in his hands. For the first time all day, he let himself go emotionally, no more holding back, no more being brave, no more denying what he felt. He was surprised by the heat of the tears as they coursed down his face, one after the other in a steady stream of emotion. He didn't care that he was crying, because in that moment, he wasn't Lieutenant Horatio Caine, he was Isabelle's Daddy. The tears dripped onto the teddy bear, staining his little velvet nose.

In the quiet of the moment, with the moonlight shining through lace curtains, a mercy of magic took place. For a moment Horatio heard an echo of Izzy's famous giggle and then a whisper of a familiar conversation from long ago...

"_Tell me a story Daddy!"_

"_Once upon a time, in a land far far away, there lived a princess, and she was loved."_

**The End**

**A/N: And there you have it, the last chapter in the Isabelle Caine Saga. Now that Belle's story is over it feels kind of weird because she's been with me since the very beginning as far as fanfiction goes. She was the first original character I ever created and I've seen her grow and develop just as Horatio has. It's a bittersweet ending for me. I could tell more stories about Belle and her life (there are so many she's told me), but I think I'm going to let this one rest. As Horatio knows all too well, it's time to let her go. **

**And in case you were wondering, I did cry while writing this, just not in the spot I thought I would. I thought the very end would be the tear jerker, but it turned out that I'm a sucker for father daughter dances. ;)**

**I hope I was able to convey the words and images I wanted to paint into your mind. I hope you got a warm fuzzy feeling here and there, and I hope every Izzy Day brightened your day. Thank you all for taking this journey with me.**

**A review on this final chapter would bring me much joy and I would love to know what you think about this story as a whole. Until next time...**

**Love, London **


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